Ken: I was trying to shoot this like it was a game-hunting situation, so while I might have pre-mounted the gun occasionally (before calling for the bird), It was was very much like I would use it afield. At the ready, but my head wasn't usually down on the gun when I called "pull". A "bump" guard might need to be considered if I continue to use this gun for more target-related activities (or I could wear my Gripswells). My Belgian monster, a waterfowling 3 1/2-inch 10 double used to spank me mercilessly in this fashion, so I'd cut a plastic 12 gauge shell off and use the carefully-trimmed hull part as a guard on that middle finger (held in place with medical tape) under my glove, but until now I've never noticed this on my other game guns before. Everything else is/was kind-of old and fragile (typical pre-WWII & even pre-WWI doubles), so I didn't shoot them enough to notice... I suppose.
This gun is modern (~1997 and Spanish) so I don't baby it as such. I'd much prefer a "nicer" English sidelock gun (a small thing...Spanish engraving misses me somehow) but I'd likely not use it so freely. Older English guns also wouldn't likely digest the commercial 2 3/4-inch 12 gauge loads I'm buying at these ranges, which is pretty convenient these days (when doing something like this or even shooting with the Vintagers). What I'd bought yesterday was the slowest loads they had available (~1050fps, or so). Recoil didn't seem that bad either, which is saying something for me (heavier loads in this gun usually fatigue me now, after this many rounds).
Last edited by Lloyd3; 04/17/23 10:42 AM.
