The first hunt in which I was allowed to carry a gun myself was in the fall of 1962. My next door neighbor loaned me his .410 Winchester 24 for a squirrel hunt. My dad left me beside a tree with the gun and 2 shells, with strict instructions that I load only one barrel at a time. A squirrel came by and I managed to get him, and so began my hunting career and my fascination with sxs shotguns.

The neighbor was willing to sell the gun, but he wanted $40 and my dad said that was too much. I've tried to buy the gun a couple of times since but it has passed down to the third generation in their family now so I have accepted the fact that I will never own it.