Richard, that 405 grains of lead in your dinner for the next three years explains a lot.

Speaking of "heavy metal" - have any of you ever played with 45-70 "Trapdoor" Springfields ? They're amazingly accurate, but kick like hell with the 500 gr. bullets. (405's are milder on the shoulder.)

I can imagine they would kick with 500's in them! They used to have cavalry 1000yd shooting matches with the trapdoors if you can believe that. 6ft bull I think. I know my 1886 shoots very well out at 500yds. I have a bunch of ammo I inherited that includes some heavy .45-70 handloads for bear protection with 500gr solids. Can't imagine shooting them. The fellow who did the handloads broke the stock off a Marlin 1895, likely with those handloads. He gave me the gun because he didn't want to mess with getting a new stock. I've carried it for bears for 30yrs and have taken deer and a moose with it. I have an 1885 Win Hi-wall in .45-90 that is the hardest kicking rifle I've ever had the displeasure to shoot even with lighter loads. Those 500gr loads would be brutal in that thing.

Roger that Dean... as you said, nice and sweet that stuff...

Mine would be my 1894CE Remington, then a 1894 F grade, and my 1889 Remington with 30 and 32" barrels. Paul

Speaking of Heavy Metal
 

It's a single barrel repeater but I am very much interested in getting one for myself. Right now only factory ammo is available.

Big Bore Manly Men Skeet Shooting

Well mine would have to be my duck gun 10ga PH with 32 in steel barrels and 3-1/2 in chambers I shoot 3-1/2 bismuth in it regularly during season. most of my hunting buddys laugh because i am so careful with it. do not know if the chambers are factory or not does not seem to be any swamp in the barrels.

Gary, shoot us some serial numbers and markings from your 3 1/2" ten and see if we can give you some opinions. I am still looking for some evidence of pre-Remington 3 1/2" Parkers. If our organization would come loose of some of its research material, we would have this information. This is what is known as "The Black Hole of Curatorship". We have the stock books to do this research, but the Board of Directors will not allow anyone to conduct the research. All research is done at the rate of forty dollars a serial number and it is not made available to the members. The Fox Collectors Association is taking the same road. What is your opinion of this situation?