Slinking back in with an admission...

[Phil Yearout]

I posted in the general forum a while back with questions about a single barrel trap. It's well established that the barrel's been cut, and the advice I got was to turn tail and run. I'd like to thank everyone for their input - especially those who advised against the purchase - and I'd like to say I took that advice, but truth to tell, I didn't. The SC with the cut barrel leans in the corner of my study as I type this, and I have to say, while it may not be the smartest buy I've ever made, I'm not really sorry; at least not yet.

The gun is in excellent shape overall, and I was able to buy it at a price that I can walk away from if I have to without too much regret. I decided that I probably wasn't going to invest the money it would take to get an unaltered gun - even one by other makers. Hell, I'm not even a trap shooter, for cryin' out loud! I tried to look at others; I really did. The Brownings and SKB's just didn't float my boat. Neither did the Knick Victories, and the 4E's that I found are still upwards of three grand and more unless they have issues. And truth to tell, I just fell in love with this little gun, short barrel and all.

I wonder who knows its history? Did someone slam its lovely barrel in the car door? Did they sucumb to "gun-alter-itis" like so many trap shooters seem to do, and decide that chopping the barrel would guarantee 100 straight? I'll probably never know.

The seller says it still has .037 of choke; hard to imagine that's possible, but since I don't own a bore gauge and my drop-in gauge stopped at "F" I guess I'll take him at his word. True or not, the gun's mine now, for better or worse. Hopefully I'll be able to hit the occasional target with it; that remains to be seen. The Parker Story says that a couple SC's were built at 28"; rather than thinking of this one as an ophan with a cut barrel, I prefer to think of it as the only SC special-ordered with a 27-1/4" barrel.

So, to those who are pointing and laughing: you may be right. And to those who have ever loved a gun that nobody else loved, and took it home anyway, thanks for listening.