Gun Infidelity

[Phil Yearout]

I had one gun that I hadn't hunted in years but was way more special than any I have...so special in fact that I recently gave it away.

Late 1940's, the war was over and my dad wanted a new shotgun. Guns were still pretty hard to come by but my dad knew a guy who said he had a line on a 12ga auto. What arrived was not one gun but two, and not 12ga's but 16's. Dad took them both; my oldest brother got the other. When I was 12 or so my father was shot in a hunting accident which cost him most of the vision in his left eye; he never hunted after that, and from then on his gun (a Savage 775a) was pretty much mine, despite there never being any "official" transfer. For years it was the only shotgun I owned. Then I got interested in doubles and after that the Savage languished in the back corner of my gun cabinet.

My brother eventually gave his to one of his sons and hinted that, if I wasn't shooting dad's anymore, he'd sure like to have it for his other son. He even offered to buy it a couple times but even though I wasn't shooting it I just wasn't ready to let go of it. I don't have a male heir, and my daughter just isn't interested.

Two years ago, before our yearly hunting trip to South Dakota, I put the gun in the old canvas sleeve that was the only gun case dad ever had and took it along, and while there I gave it to my nephew Tim. It was time. I still have dad's vest and a few boxes of his shells which I'll never shoot. My only regret is that my brother passed away a few years ago and I wish I had done it while he was still around to see it. He would have liked that.

[mobirdhunter]

Originally Posted by Phil Yearout

I had one gun that I hadn't hunted in years but was may more special than any I have...so special in fact that I recently gave it away.

Late 1940's, the war was over and my dad wanted a new shotgun. Guns were still pretty hard to come by but my dad knew a guy who said he had a line on a 12ga auto. What arrived was not one gun but two, and not 12ga's but 16's. Dad took them both; my oldest brother got the other. When I was 12 or so my father was shot in a hunting accident which cost him most of the vision in his left eye eye; he never hunted after that, and from then on his gun (a Savage 775a) was pretty much mine, despite there never being any "official" transfer. For years it was the only shotgun I owned. Then I got interested in doubles and after that the Savage languished in the back corner of my gun cabinet.

My brother eventually gave his to one of his sons and hinted that, if I wasn't shooting dad's anymore, he'd sure like to have it for his other son. He even offered to buy it a couple times but even though I wasn't shooting it I just wasn't ready to let go of it. I don't have a male heir, and my daughter just isn't interested.

Two years ago, before our yearly hunting trip to South Dakota, I put the gun in the old canvas sleeve that was the only gun case dad ever had and took it along, and while there I gave it to my nephew Tim. It was time. I still have dad's vest and a few boxes of his shells which I'll never shoot. My only regret is that my brother passed away a few years ago and I wish I had done it while he was still around to see it. He would have liked that.

I'll bet your brother knows. That is most definitely a very special gun, Phil.

[Joe from MO]

Reminds me of agun I dug out recently that I may turkey hunt with... My dad special ordered a Remington 1100 410 with 25" full chokes in the 1970's. Recently picked up a handful of TSS #9 shells for it and may take it out for Turkey here in MO next week. This was dad's Rabbit/Squirrel gun.

He had his name engraved in the receiver so this one is on the never sell list of guns, even if it's one of those new-fangled autoloading things...

Patterned it at 30yds last weekend...

[mobirdhunter]

Originally Posted by Joseph Sheerin

Reminds me of agun I dug out recently that I may turkey hunt with... My dad special ordered a Remington 1100 410 with 25" full chokes in the 1970's. Recently picked up a handful of TSS #9 shells for it and may take it out for Turkey here in MO next week. This was dad's Rabbit/Squirrel gun.

He had his name engraved in the receiver so this one is on the never sell list of guns, even if it's one of those new-fangled autoloading things...

Patterned it at 30yds last weekend...

Another keeper gun! They don't have to have two barrels to be special.

Pat, that pattern suggests a bird will die if you don't get the shakes. I always get the shakes, BTW.

So, I assume your second bird will be called up for your new tight-choked Parker 20? Please leave at least one gobbler for me. I won't make the first week (going to the Southern), but will hit the bush for week two.

[Joe from MO]

Originally Posted by Garry L Gordon

Another keeper gun! They don't have to have two barrels to be special.

Pat, that pattern suggests a bird will die if you don't get the shakes. I always get the shakes, BTW.

So, I assume your second bird will be called up for your new tight-choked Parker 20? Please leave at least one gobbler for me. I won't make the first week (going to the Southern), but will hit the bush for week two.

The 20 will get some time in the woods...... It'll probably just be a game time decision which gun I am in the mood to carry that morning... Perfect season would be one with the 20, one with the 410.

Gonna hunt first weekend, into that monday, as you know we can only kill one bird first week, so this way if I am lucky enough to take a bird Sat or Sun, I can kill my 2nd on Mon. I've only ever killed 2 birds in a season once, I don't really spend much time chasing turkeys as I like to save my vaca time for chasing deer in the fall. Wife says I can only take so much vaca for hunting as I am still supposed to do trips with her. Although, we are doing a trip to WY for antelope in oct(assuming we get tags). That doesn't count as hunting vaca.

More importantly, hoping to find mushrooms.

[mobirdhunter]

Originally Posted by Joseph Sheerin

The 20 will get some time in the woods...... It'll probably just be a game time decision which gun I am in the mood to carry that morning... Perfect season would be one with the 20, one with the 410.

Gonna hunt first weekend, into that monday, as you know we can only kill one bird first week, so this way if I am lucky enough to take a bird Sat or Sun, I can kill my 2nd on Mon. I've only ever killed 2 birds in a season once, I don't really spend much time chasing turkeys as I like to save my vaca time for chasing deer in the fall. Wife says I can only take so much vaca for hunting as I am still supposed to do trips with her. Although, we are doing a trip to WY for antelope in oct(assuming we get tags). That doesn't count as hunting vaca.

More importantly, hoping to find mushrooms.

Good luck. Post a photo of your bird...or your mushrooms.

[6pt-Sika]

My war on gobble gobble birds ceased about twenty years ago . However if I can talk my cousin into calling for me I have a rather large gun I’d like to smoke a Turkey with .