James: We're clearly like-minded here.
What has kept me coming back to them is the unquestionable lethality of the 12-bore over the sub-gauge guns. I too have a very light 28 (5 1/4lbs) and a perfectly serviceable 16 (5lbs14) , and both are a pleasure to carry and use. Where I'm always wondering is the prospect of less-than-clean kills (not that it's really been a problem w/either). Full and even patterns are a thing of beauty (especially to a hunter of grouse) and most 12s throw them with abandon (2-inch 12s are quite famous for them actually).
The down-side for all of them, I suppose (especially for the 2-inch guns) is ammunition selection and then supply (Ted's recent point about his Darns is spot-on). Reloading is usually the best alternative, but with the advent of RST (& a few others) there are other options (even now). I'm treading carefully here(!) but I am still quite curious about them. Too curious in-fact to not scratch that itch.
Edit: Lots of Cashmores too it seems. I'll need to look into them.
LLoyd, not all can do this but.... on the subject of ammo......I don't shoot at the range much....like hardly at all. And I might do a couple rounds of SC a year. Most of my ammo use happens when hunting. This approach might not work for waterfowl hunters or those playing the clays games but a while ago, in always crappy supply Canada, when I realized how tough supply was for the kinds of low pressure shorter length shot shells I needed for my vintage guns, I just started to bulk up. I have over 5000 rounds of 12 and 16 gauge and am slowing building inventory for 20 and 28 as those gauges are recent additions for me. In 12 and 16, the last 4 years of short supply has been meaningless. Properly stored, it doesn't go bad, it rises in value and it creates peace of mind on that subject. Heck, I have 1000 rounds of RST in 20 and 28 waiting for me at my US location stash. I really operate on the premise that you can't have too much. Now, I didn't go out and buy it all at once. I just bought amply, especially when I saw a deal, and made sure I had more in January that i had the previous September.
Others may solve the problem a different way and its quite hard to do this (for a multi year supply) if you are, say, an avid skeet shooter. But with upland now my main focus Its quite manageable and when I'm gone, my son with thank me. Hahahaha!
