Yes, Ted, I owned one. n=1 Interestingly, that specific gun was owned by yourself before me, of course. So you know exactly of what era it was (you told me and I have it written down somewhere and in a PM or email), and you know exactly what it was like when it left your hands and what it looked like when it arrived in my hands. It was only a relatively brief time between you and me. It is hard to imagine anything that could have caused nearly nonoverlapping right and left patterns at all distances and with all loads for targets to turkeys and yet not show some evidence of major abuse.


All I can say, Ted, is what others have told me. So it is. They are people who I tend to respect and whose reputations are pretty unimpeachable. If you and The Fuse wish to impeach them, go ahead. Good luck with that.

Yes, I have heard about Ruger Reds and Golds as well. Mostly right here. That has gone unchallenged. I suspect Darnes are probably much the same. I would not buy a Ruger Gold without patterning it first any more than I would a Darne, now that I know.

I have no axes to grind. Why would I?

The next gun arrived today. It will be shot tomorrow.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]


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BrentD, (Professor - just for Stan)
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[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]