In the third season after buying it I will surely take up-country the 0-framed 16 gauge VH, built in 1907, with its 26 inch barrels, factory choked, as per letter, cylinder and modified. It was sold to the original retail customer at the Boston, Massachusetts sporting goods store, of Iver Johnson. Thus, the fellow who sold it to me as a "typical New England bird gun" represented it accurately.
I have been a slow-learner in hitting targets (clay or otherwise) with such a light gun -- "whippy" being the preferred term for those of us who have blame the gun and not the gunner. I can thank Dean R. for raising my consciousness about adapting one's shooting technique to the properties of the light gun.
I had been in possession of my father's 16 gauge, 1-framed VH, with 28 inch barrels for several years. It was completed in Meriden in 1925, and has inherent chokes that are full and full; thus, it is more suited for open-country. My father may have used it in the water-fowling and Pheasant hunting, which he did in Eastern Massachusetts. But, since I have been hunting in the North Woods, I looked for and located the open-choked 16 gauge to add to my modest collection.
My schedule only allows for a later-season hunt, so a few rifles will probably be keeping the guns company -- probably the "pre-War", commercial Mauser, in 9.3 x 62; the octagonal barreled .30-30 Winchester and my Jim Corbett- evoking Rigby Mauser in 7 x 57 mm.
I will be going up, provided I still have my health and a job, that is. I say this in keeping with Hemmingway's observation that, with age, one develops -- not necessarily wisdom -- but caution.
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