doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com RBL Blues

I could'nt agree more with you Chuck. I love a 20 gauge, not too big and not too small, it's just right. I can reach out there and pack a punch if the shooter does their part.

Funny that I made a post earlier in this thread about how long I've been waiting to have a gun restocked. I got an email from the stocker that it's done. I can't wait to see it and shoot the gun again!!!

At considerable risk... I post this here.... just because it has to go someplace.

I just bought a Benelli Cordoba 20ga. (shame, dishonor, etc.).

250 targets of mostly 23/24... then... 100 straight.

6 1/4 lbs, very low recoil, utterly reliable with 1200fps loads, and near perfect dynamics... of course it's a black autoclacker... but what a target killer.

Now... which way to Argentina? South, right?

I (rightly or wrongly) consider the RBL a "game gun". A game gun has intrinsic qualities that target guns do not possess and that don't lend themselves to maximizing clay target scores.

Two of my shooting partners sold their ICD 20/28ga. game guns because they could shoot consistent clay target scores. If there were a one to one relationship between clays and field shooting, I couldn't argue with their decisions.

I won't go into how to shoot a game gun at clay targets except to say "move, mount, and shoot" works. You can run 100 straight with a game gun, but, your technique better be flawless and you better work with whatever gun you plan to do this with.

The bottom line is: "Benchrest Skeet scores should not be the metric which which to judge game guns with".

Congratulations, Shotgun, on a great score. Your Benelli would be a great choice for Argentina.

I once took my 7lb 32" 20g Browning 525 sporting clays gun, pheasant hunting. I have to say it made shooting pheasants a piece of cake...of course, they're not all that hard to hit with any gun, IMO, but the gun was definitely an improvement in the shooting department, albeit a little more difficult to carry than a 6lb 27" "game gun".

Thanks, Tom, and I mostly agree with what you say. I was primarily commenting on the 20ga discussion part of this thread. The 20 is getting a lot of play here, and this new toy is just plain fun.

I've owned a couple 'game guns' with dynamics similar to what the RBL promises. Fun, but just not fun enough to make me a convert to an exclusive SxS shooter.

I enjoy the variety. Old, new... they're all fun.

Some guys can shoot anything well... one pal of mine shoots an ICD at skeet frequently and does as well (which is VERY well) with it as with his regular target gun. It was a rocky start, but with a choke job and a few flats of shells he has absoultely mastered the thing. He's a pleasure to watch shoot.

Jonesy,
Don't tell anyone, but I bought a gas operated canelloni shucker 391 20g last year. Nice gun with decent English walnut(Techy Gold or somethin like that).

O.K. O.K. You want a nible 20 bore. Here you go.
http://www.hillrodandgun.com/piture.php?id=12400
If that doesn't work goto hillrodandgun.com and look for the Orvis Arrietta that is a 20g. choked cyl/Lt. mod. The gun has great wood porn and weighs under #6. If this is as advertised, this should definately be added to the collection of one of the BROTHERHOOD! The gun is listed for only $300.00 more than what my RBL would have cost me, had I not canceled. Tom you might want to check this one out. New is probably $7k so ask plenty of questions. Good luck.

A very personal perspective ..

You know, the RBL has generated about as much verbiage as anything I have ever seen for a current shotgun, at least here and one other place anyway. I've friends who also have purchased the 'Cordoba' 20's except in some kinda camo pattern. They worked just fine, outside Cordoba. I do not know of their being used much anywhere else tho there is no reason they shouldn't. I'm taking my RBL to Uruguay in July. I got the 'call' from Carol last summer the day before I was departing and there was insufficient time to receive it and do the customs thing. Not the case this year. Most happy to hear that you got your gun, Doug. I'd bet you will enjoy shooting it. Mine is still a bit tight with barely over a couple of flats of shells through it, to date. I do not think it fair to judge guns meant to be field dynamic by shooting clay targets with them premounted. That's just a personal thing, but one that I would hold as valid nonetheless. I don't know that it makes a whit's worth of dif, but I really enjoy shooting the one I recieved. I kinda screwed the case up the very first time out for dove last Sept., it rubbed against a dog box and an old dovetailed wooden cartridge case for a couple of hundred miles or so and it 'dented' or marked the nylon on the underside of the case! OH MY! [;-)] It didn't rub through or anything like that, but it was certainly no longer a virgin after that either and I'm sure it would/will detract from the present or future resale value. So what!? The gun was not remotely damaged and it is a real pleasure in the field, and that is really all that matters, to me. I intend to put it to good use in a hot corner this summer [actually winter south of the equator] and further burnish its moving parts. FWIW, I am also considering doing a dif trip with only a couple of model 31 Remingtons, one with a nice dial a choke fitted and the other a factory Full, both 20's. Why not? What I'm trying to convey here is that these things [shotguns], aside from collecting, are about using and having fun. That should place the dogs, the friends, the locus and the misadventure at least as high as the gun. Again, that's a personal thing, mine, so no need to flame me. I simply appreciate the opportunities I'm afforded from more than only one perspective. What an RBL ever did to become the star object of criticism just escapes me when a refund would/will be immediately forthcoming, if requested. I've done some fair amount of gun 'bidness' thru the years & dealt with a broad sample of the players, but I don't know of a single MFG aside from Galazan that would happily give you your money back. That's MONEY, not a credit or some kind of ruse, simply the money you paid. What's more to say?

To save any possible confusion this is a perspective, mine, and on several dif things. It is not a defense, of anything.

Okay tw, you're the man now, after you get back you'll have to tell us how did the RBL 'hold-up' under that kind of BRUTAL hunting conditions!!!
And guys how does a RBL 'lock-up'??
All the best

TW, we must be twins separated at birth. I also have an RBL which I like a lot, and own two M31's. The 12 was my dad's first gun (30", matt rib, full choke) which I later cut to 27" and added Brileys. The other is a 31L 20 gauge which was 30" full. I cut it down a bit, leaving about .05" choke. It's now my wet weather Grouse gun when I don't want the RBL or M21 to get soaked