doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com How much shooting can a game gun take?

[quote=eightbore]A CSMC Fox with a crack in the stock is not worn out from number of rounds fired or from any other reason. Any of the guns mentioned will last for tens of thousands of rounds unless abused.

Well my fox has never been "abused". I am not wealthy enough not to be careful with a gun I could barely afford to order.

I did shoot possibly 100 rounds or so of 1 ounce loads per season(velocity below 1200) over the last 25 years. I ask Tony when I ordered the gun if that was permissible. Other than those loads it has been pretty much 3/4 ounce on the skeet field and just a few sporting clay rounds using 7/8 ounce STS Premiere loads.

I apologize for my wording. However, I stand by my statement that your gun is not "worn out" just because the stock is cracked. It is probably good for another dozen decades or so once the stock is fixed.

I shot with a guy who shot his 1909 Purdey weekly at clays using B&P Comp 1 7/8oz loads. Would shoot minimum 100 shells weekly.
When the spring broke in one of the locks and he had to pay (to him) lots of money and wait several months he quit shooting it. He now shoots a B Rizzini 28 bore RB.
I shoot my guns several times a year at clays. Broke a cocking spring in the Atkin self opener once. Cost about $900 for that one.

Those are old guns. Old guns will suffer old gun problems. Either be prepared to correctly own, maintain and repair them, or shoot new guns.

Best,
Ted

Amen, Ted. Old sidelock mainsprings are VERY expensive to have made.

The answer, (other poster's replies and characterizations not withstanding) is not as many as you'd hope.

Target guns are built as they are for a reason.
Same with game guns.

^^
This is what I think. I try to cheat it by shooting very light loads.

I don't. I use the loads in them that they were designed to be used with. If I want to shoot 3/4 oz. loads I'll get out the 28.

If I shoot one loose, I can have it put back on face. As Ted said, be prepared to repair them. They can and will break. Each one must decide for themselves whether it is worth the cost. For me, it is.

SRH

Hey Stan,
I�m struggling a bit with a 12 I like to distraction, a sidelock with 2 3/4 factory chambers and proofed for any 2 3/4 load. It weighs under 6 1/2lbs. The problem is mine, not the gun, I am finding the recoil objectionable shooting off my right shoulder. This with 1 Oz
loads, but, I�m shooting 50 or so at a time.
I�m going to step it down to 7/8ths Oz loads for a bit. I want to be able to shoot right handed (after 50 years or so off the other shoulder) and want to be at least as good with this gun as any other.
Were I hunting, and had just a few shots a day, that would be one thing. But, practice, more than a few rounds, becomes unpleasant with heavier loads. I did try an A5 for a round, and did enjoy it, without regard to ammunition. Food for thought, should I ever have to put 100 rounds down a dove field, I suppose.

Just a different angle to ponder. Never had to ponder it until now.

Best,
Ted

Ted, May I offer some advice??? Get a competion gun to shoot high volume while learning to shoot right handed. Maybe take your Benelli Black Eagle that you hate and trade it for a Beretta A400?? The Beretta is a soft shooter (weighs 8 + lbs) and a trade won�t be that terribly expensive for you. I�d recommend NOT getting the kick-off gimmick on the A400. Having had one, I can tell you they are junk. These recoil redux devices don�t change the amount of energy one receives to the shoulder one iota in terms of recoil, it only changes perceived recoil (recoil change over time), if it even does that. I actually believe the kick-offs kick harder since having a bad right shoulder makes me an expert on perceived recoil. BTW, the trap A400 with parallel comb and step rib shoots a full patter high (no matter how you adjust the stock shims) , so I�d only look at the sporting models with the flat rib if I were you. Your son might like the Beretta too? Really nice guns!