Fortune often finds me hunting with Mike and I must reluctantly attest to his prowess with lighter guns, especially his little 28 gauge Parker on a 00 frame. I'm secretly envious of an ability I'm unable to share with him. Oh, I've got a couple of great little sub six pounders that just scream "quail!" Sometimes I fall under their seductive call and with great trepidation take one for an outing. Under the morning sky the little gun feels good and I know I look good carrying it and all is well in the world.....until the covey explodes underneath my feet. This was the moment I dreaded since my last sip of cold coffee. The little gun seems to weave and wobble in every direction possible, except where I so desperately want it to. Mike always has kind words to curry my shaken pride, while he quietly tells his dogs "no bird". On the next rise his little 28 surely accounts for a clean double while I just stand there and weakly mumble something resembling a compliment. At lunchtime I'll slip to the back of the car and magically transform my little gun into a real bird shooting machine--likely a 6 1/2 pound or better 12 bore. And the rest of the day (aw, life is sweet) I hear the delicious words, "dead bird" again and again. "Mike, did you get one? Oh, I'm sorry but I did have the easier shot......lets go find another covey."
Joe,
Soooo, two questions, if I may? Do you find lighter guns "Tougher" or "Impossible" to shoot well?
And, is that picture in the beautiful canyon you posted showing you, some other guy, or, your girl?
Eightbore, nobody handled a 4 speed like Ronnie.
Mike,
You will no doubt be pleased to hear that as I was heading up the stairs with a couple gun cases, my wife asked for a "little help" with a curtain rod in the kitchen, which, lead to a 2 1/2 hour list of honey-dos, and me heading back downstairs to put the cases away and clean up in time for Easter dinner at my Mom's.
I was hoping to spend time patterning today, and would have stuffed a few in a little 28 gauge Darne with MOD and FULL chokes, to see what I could see, and some more time with the Spanish boxlock 12 that seems to be a much more reliable killer of stuff for me.
But, it was not to be. Hope you had a splendid Easter.
Best,
Ted
