I have a 16ga Merkel o/u that has 29 " barrels weights 6lb 7oz and feels as good as any gun I have ever held. Made in the mid 1920's. It has killed many grouse and woodcock, haven't taken it out in years, hope to this year.

Mike, there are many ways a gun can be special. Your Pappy’s guns fit the definition in my view.

I like the filing of the frame on that nice gun. I hope you get it out this Fall.

I don't see how you can leave that Fox in the safe for so long..... :D

I guess the old saying.... So many guns, so little time has never been truer than it is for you. My collection of firearms is no where near what some of you guys have, and I can't find the time to give them near enough attention that I'd like to...... I guess, that's not really such a bad thing, but I do hear them softly crying in the back of the safe sometimes from lack of attention. :D

My guns don't care if I hunt without them. My dog is another story

Pat, when you retire, we’ll talk.

I pretty much quit deer hunting when I looked into my dog’s eyes after coming back from a deer hunt.

The weekend after Gator went on his last duck hunt, Harry and I went hunting on the river and left him due to it being a bit too strenuous for his old age. He sat by the door and whimpered over an hour after we left, according to Julia. I still regret that morning.

Mills, I have had similar experiences with my dogs. I’ve never been able to shake the regret from some of them, but it still haunts me.

I tend to make room in my hunting schedule for all the guns I own to get out at least once, but at the end of the day it’s the covers I hunt that define which ones see the most action. Being from a state where grouse are few and far between, and pheasants are essentially put and take, I find myself against the grain in the classic double world by desiring short barreled small chambered guns. Both for the lightness of the gun on long grouse walks and the fact I spend my time crawling through the places where no one else wants to for pheasants. So my 20 gauge lc smith, fox and Ithaca SKB’s get the nod for now. Being my collection is just beginning and a nice sub gauge graded gun from a prominent maker takes a little financial planning - I hope someday to have more options in these smaller gauge and barrel length configurations..But my 28” 12’s get their dose of vitamin D.