I was a 6 year old service brat in 1962, on a SAC base in northeast Montana. My father bought one Stevens singleshot 22 for me and my older brother to share and took us rabbit hunting. In the bird season, me and my brother bird dogged for my father. He had a Remington recoil operated auto as best as I can recall. He'd send me and my brother in to thorn thickets to flush and retrieve roosters and grouse. I really hated upland bird hunting with a passion. My face would be scratched up and bleeding and my mother would chastise my dad for it.
Years later, my parents having settled in California, the land of my mother's dreams, I found myself wanting to hunt again and started with a nice A-5. By the time I was in my mid twenties I had bought my first side by side, a BSS 12 ga. I dont really recall why i wanted a sxs. But I immediately had the chokes openned by Purbaugh to skeet and shot thousands of rounds with it. That gun is still in my safe. I don't even recall what sxs was next...they're all a blur. I've had a Spanish sxs or two. But I've stuck mainly to American hammerless doubles.
