I have a number of old shotguns and during the fall I was involved with publishing a book on my guns. I realized I had some guns that hadn't seen daylight in several years, so I took them hunting. I got 38 mountain grouse a few huns and a turkey with them. I ended using the Burgess wrist slide action gun the most, but still got some shooting with the Webley hammer gun...

That looks like a fine bird season with some nice old shotguns. Even more so if you managed that many birds without a dog. Great post!

That is a fun post. Glad you like your Burgess. We live close together [montana-wise] and maybe with similar interests, we should get together.

Those Burgess guns are fascinating. I've never seen a badly made example. I believe Winchester finally ended up with the company but John Browning helped himself to at least one of their designs, the takedown on the Model 520 Stevens shotguns.

Great pictures and thanks for sharing.

Congratulations on a fine season of bird hunting. Are the grouse both blue and ruffies?
Bill

You bring me great joy!
Well done, well done
Mike

Wonderful pics. Thank you!

Is the fourth pic a grouse? It is so dark compared to the others, and has no band on the tail, that I can see.

Third and fourth are Blue grouse. They are the best eating game bird you can get...

Nice photos and such big birds. Those are 2 inch shells. Is the gun a 2", 12 bore?

For the first time passing through Bozeman last fall, I stopped into Hill n Rod. My knees were shaking but I left without spending any money. Nice gun store which I suppose you have visited many times.

Charlie is a national treasure. I bet he isn’t what you thought you would see when you walked into his shop.

The poster on his door with the pictures of his bench and John Browning’s bench, I made for him as he reminds me of the old world craftsman that still uses hand tools and doesn’t put them away.

I visit once in awhile, but have to limit those visits because he doesn’t get anything done when I’m there talking to him. He is an extremely intelligent guy and overloaded with talent. He made a lever return spring for my Webley shotgun, completely from flat spring steel.

I would recommend anyone visiting Bozeman to stop by and see his shop and selection of beautiful SXS’s.

Great stuff, Shrapnel. Thanks for posting. I've never heard of the Burgess. What a neat design.
JR

I have several different Burgess guns. This is a Burgess folding shotgun, designed for Law Enforcement purpose. It still works great on turkeys and grouse...

I believe Burgess had two variations on their takedown mechanism, the folding one being the latter. But even here you can see the similarities to the Stevens takedown. As far as Blues being better than Ruffies....I beg to differ. Blues are indeed the other white-meat birds, but... in my experience they are not as delicate as the ruffed. Their meat is much firmer (and their diet has more grains in it). Ruffed grouse breast meat is almost translucent by comparison and the flavor is very subtle. Now, perhaps when I was pursuing Blues my culinary skills weren't yet up to snuff so I may not be giving them their fair due (?).

I have killed hundreds of grouse, and have pictures of a few. I will take a blue grouse over a ruffed grouse every day, but never turn either down. The guys that like pheasants, don't know what a really good bird is...

I'll take your word for it, shrapnel, having never had the opportunity to try grouse of any ilk. However, they've got to go some to beat wild bobwhite in taste.

Blues are reverse migrators. The big males can be a bit chewy. Late season, even a whiff of pine.

The young of the year are like giant ruffed grouse. And if they have been on berries all season long, surpass ruffed grouse for flavor.

They bring a little more flavor to a Marsala or Piccata than a ruffie.

Love the Burgess shotgun.

"They bring a little more flavor to a Marsala or Piccata than a ruffie." CZ your menu idea is a favorite for pheasants, too. Love capers in about anything.

What can I say, I like my meat, meaty.
I don’t like to make a wonderful recipe, and then have the meat portion just taste like boiled chicken.

Now a smoked pheasant, That makes a fine pot of pea soup.
Or chunked on crackers at the tailgate.

Blues get the knod for me, because they’re just bigger than a ruffed grouse.

Processing deer this week, sausages on the horizon.
It’s the season.

Tis the season indeed....pheasant was mentioned earlier and it was inferred to be somewhat inferior tablefare to the ruffies and blues. If, however, they are properly prepared by incorporating a specific ageing regimen (about 100 hours works well for me, at ~40 degrees) and then properly brined, they can be quite satisfactory as well. Smoked sounds darn fine too.

Also, what the blazes is that box fed AK clone? A Cambodian trap gun in .410?

A Saiga, I believe.

Afa pheasants go, they make a nice bratwurst. Seriously. Apple/sage flavored is good too.
But no comparison to a dusky grouse or ruffed grouse.

Anything brined or smoked to enhance its flavor should be put in a casserole. Butter and garlic are acceptable seasonings however.

The deluxe black rifle is a tactical grouse collecting machine. I use it when I’m not around the guys with Brittanys or GSH dogs.

"The deluxe black rifle is a tactical grouse collecting machine. I use it when I’m not around the guys with Brittanys or GSH dogs."

uh oh...has satan cleverly infiltrated our doubegon world...may the saints manton and fox protect us from temptation and idolatry...