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Forums10
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Most Online1,335
Apr 27th, 2024
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 6,715 Likes: 415
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 6,715 Likes: 415 |
“Keeper status” isn’t the same as “shooter status”, and “shooter status” isn’t the same as the “shoot well” category.
If “shoot well” status is paramount, that will evolve as your eye site and physical skills decline.
Joe Nickerson moved to a pair of 28 ga Woodward’s to keep his numbers up.
Keeping shotguns because you like them is just fine If I felt my shooting skills were diminishing, I would stick with a larger gauge and more lead in the air. Not much margin for error with a 28.
_________ BrentD, (Professor - just for Stan) ![[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]](https://i.imgur.com/qclHjMQ.jpg)
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1 member likes this:
Jimmy W |
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 5,689 Likes: 118
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 5,689 Likes: 118 |
There's also the issue of British English vs American usage on this side of the pond. It seems to me that I've heard the term "keeper's gun" (I think possessive) in the UK. The description seemed to be applied to a fairly basic boxlock nonejector, I think always a 12 bore, with such a gun often being what a gamekeeper would own. Good point, Larry! 👍
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,986 Likes: 299
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,986 Likes: 299 |
Joe Nickerson shot mostly driven birds.
The issue as people age is declining reflexes, eyesight, and muscularity.
Driven Birds are on you fast, it is hard to get a heavier gun, moving out front of them before they are gone.
Within the range he was shooting, 3/4oz was plenty.
Out there doing it best I can.
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 5,689 Likes: 118
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 5,689 Likes: 118 |
My keeper guns are the ones that are "special occasion" guns. Like the first shotgun I ever owned- which I still have after 60 years. One that belonged to a relative that was given to me after they passed. I have a few of those.Take them out of the safe a couple times a week and rub them with an oil covered cloth and like a genre's lamp, the memories come rolling out.
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 9,749 Likes: 744
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 9,749 Likes: 744 |
The “One that got away”?
Sure. R15 Darne 20 gauge, 29” tubes, swamped rib, straight English stock, choked modified and full, but, I figured out early on that the cheap (at the time, Joe Biden hadn’t been anything except a corrupt senator from Delaware) Federal target loads opened up the patterns while the Winchester AAs tightened things up. The gun might have weighed 5 3/4lbs, but, those long tubes sure made it easy to shoot. The Federals were a regular 7/8th ounce load, mowed grouse and woodcock down just fine. An ounce of AA Heavy Target Load 7 1/2s, out of a 20 gauge modified choke, is a great way to start pheasant season. Later in the year an ounce of 5s or 6s, or, one in each tube, did the trick.
Killed birds with it in four states for years before a gun snob told me it had bland wood (it did, but, it wasn’t cracked) and the engraving looked cartoonish (built in 1977 as the company was in a death spiral, that was true also) but, I had a real hard time missing birds with it, something I should have thought a little harder about, and I sold it to a guy who immediately reemed out the chokes, those wonderful, long, long, Darne chokes that were done on the two story Manufrance longitudinal barrel boring machine, they were about a foot and a half long and tightened maybe .002-.003 for every inch of length.
Some people’s kids. Even if I could find it, I can’t really have it back, the way it was.
Worst part is I can open up a copy of The Double Gun Journal any day of the week and look at pictures of it. So, it never really left but, I can’t shoot it anymore.
Had some guns since that mistake, but, never have felt as confident and competent with any of them. I stumbled onto a turn of the century Halifax 12, a 2 1/2” chamber gun, choked IC and IMOD, that I have some good days with, but it ain’t the same. I actually sold that gun once also, but, the shotgun Gods took pity on me, and saw that it came back from sabbatical in Maine hunting grouse, to keep me company, again.
Thankfully, nobody messed with the bores or chokes while it was gone.
I have too many guns right now, deaths in my orbit have left me a generous supply of other peoples stuff, and while a guy might think he can make something in a big pile of other peoples guns work, you know, it just isn’t always the case.
I do keep on keeping on, anyway.
Best,
Ted
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2 members like this:
Parabola, John Roberts |
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 5,689 Likes: 118
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 5,689 Likes: 118 |
The “One that got away”?
Sure. R15 Darne 20 gauge, 29” tubes, swamped rib, straight English stock, choked modified and full, but, I figured out early on that the cheap (at the time, Joe Biden hadn’t been anything except a corrupt senator from Delaware) Federal target loads opened up the patterns while the Winchester AAs tightened things up. The gun might have weighed 5 3/4lbs, but, those long tubes sure made it easy to shoot. The Federals were a regular 7/8th ounce load, mowed grouse and woodcock down just fine. An ounce of AA Heavy Target Load 7 1/2s, out of a 20 gauge modified choke, is a great way to start pheasant season. Later in the year an ounce of 5s or 6s, or, one in each tube, did the trick.
Killed birds with it in four states for years before a gun snob told me it had bland wood (it did, but, it wasn’t cracked) and the engraving looked cartoonish (built in 1979 as the company was in a death spiral, that was true also) but, I had a real hard time missing birds with it, something I should have thought a little harder about, and I sold it to a guy who immediately reemed out the chokes, those wonderful, long, long, Darne chokes that were done on the two story Manufrance longitudinal barrel boring machine, they were about a foot and a half long and tightened maybe .002-.003 for every inch of length.
Some people’s kids. Even if I could find it, I can’t really have it back, the way it was.
Worst part is I can open up a copy of The Double Gun Journal any day of the week and look at pictures of it. So, it never really left but, I can’t shoot it anymore.
Had some guns since that mistake, but, never have felt as confident and competent with any of them. I stumbled onto a turn of the century Halifax 12, a 2 1/2” chamber gun, choked IC and IMOD, that I have some good days with, but it ain’t the same.
I have too many guns right now, deaths in my orbit have left me a generous supply of other peoples stuff, and while a guy might think he can make something in a big pile of other peoples guns work, you know, it just isn’t always the case.
I do keep on keeping on, anyway.
Best,
Ted What issue of the DGJ was it in, Ted? We'd like to see it. 😊
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 9,749 Likes: 744
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 9,749 Likes: 744 |
Summer, 1996, “Le bon Vieux Darne” photos and article by a younger me.
Whoever was running the pointing dog program at Minnesota Horse and Hunt offered me $5K for that Springset Gordon Setter pictured in the article. No deal.
I did know exactly what I had with him, fortunately. Haven’t been able to replace him, either.
Best,
Ted
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Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 3,093 Likes: 334
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 3,093 Likes: 334 |
The “One that got away”?
Sure. R15 Darne 20 gauge, 29” tubes, swamped rib, straight English stock, choked modified and full, but, I figured out early on that the cheap (at the time, Joe Biden hadn’t been anything except a corrupt senator from Delaware) Federal target loads opened up the patterns while the Winchester AAs tightened things up. The gun might have weighed 5 3/4lbs, but, those long tubes sure made it easy to shoot. The Federals were a regular 7/8th ounce load, mowed grouse and woodcock down just fine. An ounce of AA Heavy Target Load 7 1/2s, out of a 20 gauge modified choke, is a great way to start pheasant season. Later in the year an ounce of 5s or 6s, or, one in each tube, did the trick.
Killed birds with it in four states for years before a gun snob told me it had bland wood (it did, but, it wasn’t cracked) and the engraving looked cartoonish (built in 1977 as the company was in a death spiral, that was true also) but, I had a real hard time missing birds with it, something I should have thought a little harder about, and I sold it to a guy who immediately reemed out the chokes, those wonderful, long, long, Darne chokes that were done on the two story Manufrance longitudinal barrel boring machine, they were about a foot and a half long and tightened maybe .002-.003 for every inch of length.
Some people’s kids. Even if I could find it, I can’t really have it back, the way it was.
Worst part is I can open up a copy of The Double Gun Journal any day of the week and look at pictures of it. So, it never really left but, I can’t shoot it anymore.
Had some guns since that mistake, but, never have felt as confident and competent with any of them. I stumbled onto a turn of the century Halifax 12, a 2 1/2” chamber gun, choked IC and IMOD, that I have some good days with, but it ain’t the same. I actually sold that gun once also, but, the shotgun Gods took pity on me, and saw that it came back from sabbatical in Maine hunting grouse, to keep me company, again.
Thankfully, nobody messed with the bores or chokes while it was gone.
I have too many guns right now, deaths in my orbit have left me a generous supply of other peoples stuff, and while a guy might think he can make something in a big pile of other peoples guns work, you know, it just isn’t always the case.
I do keep on keeping on, anyway.
Best,
Ted It's because of posts like this one of yours, Ted, that keep me coming back here. Thank you. JR
Be strong, be of good courage.
God bless America, long live the Republic.
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2 members like this:
Stanton Hillis, Ted Schefelbein |
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Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 3,093 Likes: 334
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 3,093 Likes: 334 |
There's also the issue of British English vs American usage on this side of the pond. It seems to me that I've heard the term "keeper's gun" (I think possessive) in the UK. The description seemed to be applied to a fairly basic boxlock nonejector, I think always a 12 bore, with such a gun often being what a gamekeeper would own. Good point, Larry! 👍 Lmao... JR
Be strong, be of good courage.
God bless America, long live the Republic.
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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 315 Likes: 79
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 315 Likes: 79 |
I just seem to be adding "keepers".
I love the ones I have so don't want to be rid of any. I don't know how I'd choose which to sell. Most all get at least a few days in the field every year.
I don't have any that are "to pretty to shoot".
When I see a quality gun in the configuration I like, I get it. I watched a Francotte and a Dickson each for about a year before they finally came off the market.
I had remorse for not buying them prior to their sales. I happened to see both for sale a couple years later so I quickly snatched them up.
They make me happy so I'm pleased to own them.
It's easier for me to add another safe instead of selling any shotguns.
With a fine gun on his arm, a man becomes a sporting gentleman, both on the field and off.
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