This was another good year on the collecting, shooting and hunting front. I added a new gauge(an 8 gauge) a grade 0 top action hammer gun with 36” twist barrels. I got it from a member and shot it at the southern. I got all the reloading equipment components to keep me busy all winter. It is a fun gun to shoot and I enjoyed the 8 gauge event at the Southern.

I did add a few hammer guns including a very early back action 14 gauge that I also bought from a member. I am working on a display for the southern on that one.

I did add some small bore composite barrel ejector guns to my collection. Some need so work, and I will start that process this year. I just love a damascus or twist gun with ejectors, especially if it’s a 20 or 16 gauge!

On that theme, I closed the year with a straight stocked 30” Damascus DHE 16 gauge on a 1 frame that is everything I would ever want a Parker to be.

On the hunting side, I made a lot of progress with my English setter, who impresses me more and more every day. Together with my Irish Setter/Golden Retriever mix we have had a lot of fun.

Looking forward to a great 2024!

Not so much…





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2023 had it's ups and downs. Gun wise it was pretty good. It was mostly a rifle year with only one shotgun. I started off with a Browning T bolt 17 HMR for squirrel hunting. Then another Cooper custom classic in 22 mag appeared and wouldn't you know it another in 17HMR was adopted. That gave me the tri fecta of rimfires in Cooper's as I already have a Western Classic in 22LR. A Dakota M10 with exhibition wood was picked up on the way to Rock Mtn in 6.5X55. A Browning B78 came into the fold in 25-06 at the begining of deer season. I never did get a chance to hunt with it however.
The BIG down side to the year happened at Rock Mtn. I was shooting my 28ga VHE skeet with 28 inch barrels with Mike Smith, Rick Simmonds and another gentleman I didn't know. Rick was using new factory ammo purchased at the shoot but his wonderful LeFever wouldn't eject the shells. I gave him some of mine to try and they worked fine so we traded. The true pair on station one my gun doubled and both barrels bulged just ahead of the chamber:eek::cuss::crying:. No good deed goes unpunished as the barrels are toast. Just befor deer season I wasn't feeling real good and had a terrible cough. Coming back from a friends I started coughing and blacked out and put my brand new (1000 miles maybe) truck in the ditch. Three days into deer season I went to the ER and was admitted to the hospital with Bi Lateral Pnuemonia. This side tracked me for a couple of weeks.
The only shotgun added to the inventory is a Fox XE 20 with 30 inch barrels:)

Rich, I hope you’re fully recovered. I’m looking forward to posting pictures of you and your dogs on a Southern hunt again this year.

I won't be taking "The Boys" to Georgia the end of the month due to a rampant RSV virus that's sweeping Georgia and Florida. by the time the vet figures it out it's usually to late. Just not woth the risk. I'll sure miss them however

Glad you survived your medical issues ! I had a 78 in 25-06 octagon barrel for awhile . I’d been looking for one for several years and got the one I had at a local auction . The gun was easy to load for and I settled on Nosler 115 BT’s . Sad to say I never killed or even shot at a deer with it .

I have another B78 in 6MM both rifles have octagon barrels. These are nice rifles what with the High Wall action and the octagon barrels and there good shooters.

Rich, whatchoo gonna do about the skeet gun. How about a session with a brass hammer? How about breaking up a two barrel Repro set? What exactly are your plans?

I've got a Ruger #1. in 25.06 Great, accurate gun for no money

First time I saw a 78 was about 1973 in the local gun shop it was a 22-250 brand new and if I’m not mistaken Browning had just put them on the market . Always remembered that gun and wanted one . I was 12 at the time :whistle: