Here's the point where having a bunch of shotguns is a curse. Shotguns more so than any other weapon are the best example of one man-one gun. Stick with one instead of switching off and you'll be a much better shot.
SO I'm going with the son to the range tommorrow after the LSU/Tulane game and I'm having a tough time deciding what to bring to warm up for duck season. I usually shoot my O/U 20ga Ruger, but I bought a 20ga M-2 Benelli that I realy want to use. But I also got that SBEII (bidding while drunk ) for a great price that I want to try out. So I decided I was going to take the two 20's. Then my son calls up and wants me to bring the SBEII. So I'm loading up three shotguns. And to make matters worst, I notice my A-5 sitting in the corner that hasn't been shot in at least 10 years and remembering how deadly I was with it, I throw it in the back of the Suburban too. Now I'm up to 4.
And you know what's gonna happen???? I'm gonna remember how much I loved that old A-5 and wind up shooting it for duck season and have about 4 grand worth of shotguns gathering dust in the safe. Dumbass me.

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Forum consigliere

Any unused shotguns you don't want to gather dust can be sent to me for proper keeping.

I understand your problem though.. I'm looking at a mossberg 185 K-A 20g that's been unused for a few years now....

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- The Federalist #46 -

You may want to hold off on the trip to the range until you get all those Smiths you bid on when you blew out the Gunbroker servers last night!

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Misty

i had to buy a 20 after getting about 60 boxes of 20 ammo of al sizes for$1 each at Wallys on clearance

then i inherited my grandpas A5, then i found a beater A5 for $150 that i used to make a cut down clyde barrow commemortive whipit( i know he used a rem11 but close) then i have a couple 870s that have various barrels and an 11-87.

i hear ya on too many shotguns. but its fun to shoot skeet with various guns

Is there a principle that the older we get the more we realize the guns we have had for 20-30 years (or more) are the ones we like the best - and that we really didn't need the other, newer ones?

But good heavens man, you can't get along with only one shotgun. That's crazy!

(Unless you are not a target shooter. Maybe even a hunter needs two? - one for walking, and one for sitting. And maybe one for little birds. And one for steel shot. And one for nasty weather, when you don't want to use your good one. And a loaner/spare. And...

"Is there a principle that the older we get the more we realize the guns we have had for 20-30 years (or more) are the ones we like the best - and that we really didn't need the other, newer ones?"

A truer statement was never uttered. You can replace "guns" with almost anything else and still have it be true.

Sir, FWIW, I have only three shotguns: a 12 gauge Ithaca Model 37; Grandpa's pre-war Winchester Model 12, again in 12 gauge; and Dad's old 20 gauge Belgian Browning A-5. While there are others I'd like to have, these three do everything I realistically need a bird gun to do.

Hope this helps, and Semper Fi.

Ron H.

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Wishin' don't make it so.

you are not a serious clay target shooter are you? most long time trap shooters have a closet full of guns they bought to break just one more target per round.

So true....after 20 years of trapshooting I've got a few

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IYWTPTG, YBKTR. Dr

Caj, those are all good choices, but if it were my decision, it would be an easy decision to grab the A5 and be done with it... I hope you guys have fun!

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NRA Life Member

No such thing as too many shotguns or too much money. Larry

Will the A5 tolerate steel shot?

I sold my Browning pump this summer. I really wanted to love that gun, but I went back to my first love, my Ithaca M37. We've been through a lot of corn fields together . . .

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VIVERE MILITARE EST

I came late to shotguns. My late father absolutely despised anyone who used one for hunting and there were no trap or skeet ranges anywhere near where we lived in northeastern Missouri.

I remember as a Boy Scout he almost refused to allow another Scout to go squirrel hunting with us when the boy showed up with a Savage 22/410 over and under.

He was the best shot I ever saw with a 22 rifle. He could do a lot of trick type shooting and he always, and I mean always, "barked" squirrels. His brother, my Uncle I.N., was nearly as good and really could shoot an old Colt Woodsman.

I never got the hang of that, so I just shot them in the head out of those old tall trees near the Mississippi or Des Moines rivers. I recall taking one home, when I had been hunting by myself, that I had hit in the body.

I got so much verbal abuse, that, when I slipped and hit the body rather than the head after that, I would leave the dead animal in the woods just to avoid the abuse.

So, I inherited, to some degree, my father's disdain for shotgun shooters. Sure, as a cop in Florida, we used 18" Model 31s, 870s and Winchesters for patrol duty, but that was different. And I hunted dove and quail here in Florida a few years, but dove, no matter what I did, tasted like liver and quail began to give way to houses, condos, etc.

Then, a friend talked me into trying a round of skeet. I missed most, but was hooked.

Then I tried trap. I believe it is nearly as addictive as heroin.

Now, that's about all I shoot (though I shot two rounds of skeet today with my 410 O/U).

I am blessed to live near the Silver Dollar, arguably the best trap club in the U.S. The greatest trap shooters in the US and Canada come for the winter shoots and many stay all winter on the Shooting Club or Golf Club grounds.

Starting tomorrow, they will be open 7 days a week for registered targets and practice. Plus skeet and 5stand.

Can you tell I am addicted? I, just like perazzi and mod29fan indicated, have a safe full of shotguns.

A Perazzi, Browning BT, & Remington 58 for trap, (my wife shoots a Beretta 3901 Trap), a Cynergy 28ga and 1100 12ga for skeet, 5stand and Sporting Clays, a Winchester 42 and Rizzini 410 for skeet and I just sold a Winchester Model 12 Trap today.

Too many shotguns? No way-I'm looking at an older Perazzi MX8 for another "back up" gun.

Bob

I bought a plain Jane 870 in 1968 and accumulated four other barrels for it over the years. I bought a 870 SP (screw in chokes) when I gave my old one to Jr. 15 years ago. He recently bought a Browning Gold and I have started using my old 870 again. It has probably had more than 30,000 shells through it and is smoother than any pump I've ever shot. I do spend a lot of money on S&W's though.

I used to have a wife and I still have three kids, we have five. Three single shots and two pumps, all 20 gauge with one 12. My dream is a nice double.
We hunt birds and break clays pretty regular.

The kids seem to enjoy shooting them more than any other type of firearm.

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R Gitz

I have several shotguns. Last year I decided to stick to my OU 20 gauge for grouse. It's the best grouse gun I have and the more I use it the better I do.

Last year I did hunt with my 16 gauge Model 12 once. My brother was back to hunt grouse with me after 20 years of not doing so. I used the Model 12 since that's what I carried most when we hunted together all the time.

I have an old Winchester 1200 pump in 12g with short and long barrel. This does most that needs doing for me. Last year, I picked up and old Ranger (made by Savage, I believe) side by side 12g that had been cut to about 18-1/4 inches. That's a fun gun to shoot but I don't know what I really need with it. Lately I have been jonesing for a couple more scatterguns, even though I hardly ever shoot the ones I have. I would love a nice, basic over-under. Not fancy, just a good working gun. I would take it in 12, 16 or 20. Also, the thought of a 20g auto has been in the back of my mind of late as well.

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All Rights Reserved

The grand old A5 is never a bad choice. Neither is a Winchester Model 12.

straightshooter 1, glad to hear you like to shoot trap. completely different world than handgun shooting. i had to quit a few years ago due to ongoing health issues and miss the shooting, the compatition, and the travel to big shoots. nice to hear from someone close to home. i live in a town on the dsm river in iowa. silver dollar is a great place as you know. this winter when they have one of the big shoots, get out and watch the all- american types shoot. don't know who all the big names are now,but i used to shoot with several of them back in the day. good luck in your new hobby and break them all.

Straightshooter1 you also need a few nice SXS's to shoot at vintage shoots. Larry

Perazzi, I do shoot the big shoots, went to the Grand American the last two years, and go to the Georgia State Shoot, too. I haven't gone to any of the other state shoots just because of the time it takes.

I know some of the big dogs, and have found, almost without exception that they are not only nice, but willing to help or offer advice.

I even got some All American points from winning some events in the past couple of years. Didn't win anything at the Grand, though I did get one "hundred straight" there. I was shooting in AA and it is a tough class.

I spend about every day at the Dollar, and now that they are open 7 days a week....

tops: I haven't seen any vintage shoots, but went through a few SXSs when I was shooting skeet and SC. Now, that I mostly shoot trap, I don't have any.

Bob

Curse? I thought you could never have too much money or too many guns!

Lucky is the person who has a Browning Auto-5 in his/her collection.

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Don't need no stinkin' sigline

A man can never have too many guns...I think that was said by someone in the poor house.

i have a few shotguns, they all have a place, i like my mod 12 winchesters the best

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WILL WORK FOR AMMO!

I have no unused shotguns, not even a marine magnum.:-)

I started collecting tactical/military shotguns in 1964 because they were the cheapest guns to collect. I started with 4 Winchester 97s that were in the money room of a local race track and they were getting rid of them. I gave the head of security a sawbuck each for them. Still got one. They were in great shape, I then found a lot of older shotguns when I was based at FT Sill OK, and Ft Wolters TX. Flew into Mexico (in an Army AC) on buying trips. Paid peanuts for many good old shotguns. Bought a Winchester 1901 (just like an 1887 but in 10 gauge) from a retired Texas Ranger. Then I got serious. now I have over 100 tactical/military shotguns, well over. Of course I had to have some hunting guns, and some trap guns, and a skeet gun or two, then sporting clays came along. Lucky for me the Army sent me to a logistics school for aviators, I needed the training to store all my shotguns.
Fortunately our retirement home is a blockhouse of a building with a basement AND a sub basement. Looks like it was built to be defended. Jeff Cooper would love the place.
Yes I have shot them all, even the rickity ones, I fixed em and shot em. I have even shot the pristine collectors examples, I am an accumulator, not a collector.
Since my wife has declared no more shotguns (or rifles), I have turned to wheelguns and the odd dozen or so auto pistols.
Everyone ought to have enough weapons to outfit their own militia platoon.
Got to go now, time for my thorazine shot.

Well, shot a case of shells and the winner is......................
Benelli Super Black Eagle II-really surprised me-my money was on one of the 20's. Did shoot the A-5 and remembered that it DID have a bit of a kick to it compared to the Benelli .
Anyway, shot the Benelli with the cheapie low brass #8 dove loads from the Wally and it functioned perfectly. Just for giggles, I then shot a few 3.5 " # 2 steel loads and gun functioned perfectly as well (course it was a bit more frisky but honestly not as bad as the A-5 with 2 3/4 baby magnum 3 steel).
I do believe I've found my duck gun for this season.

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Forum consigliere

ain't dat jus like the rest of us! i go thru the same reasonning saddling upp for deercamp. one wants to see this another wants 1, i need 2 maybe? Sheesh!

You sound way normal to me. Can ibe your neighbor?

hey jus decoded your name. i r former 0-2a fac rvn,nt,others.
Welcome Home!

I own a dozen or so SG's but my two favorites are my Browning Superposed (Grade ll) and Browning A-5 Light. I have not gotten to the point that I am willing and able to sell off the others that decorate my safe, but they RARELY get shot. I enjoy shooting my Brownings so much that when I set out for Pheasant Hunting, Skeet, Trap, & Sporting Clays I never even think of grabbing anything else. Had I purchased the two Brownings FIRST, I would not have bought any others.

ADDED:

Oh, I will mention that the two SG's I own that I STILL would have purchased are my Remington 870 and Ithaca M37 Featherweight which are relegated for HD purposes.

I believe in a correct gun for the purpose. I use a Browning BT99+ for Trap, and I have a Browning Special Sporting Clays O/U for Sporting Clays & Skeet. The SKB 20 Ga. IC/M makes the Skeet field and the dove field both. That's about the extent of my shotgunning any longer.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

Over the past year or so I've ended up with a half dozen shotguns of various makes and applications. My favorite so far is the Beretta 20, for hunting anyway. I've got my eye on an old Remington 11, it seems to be calling my name......

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Even older, even crankier....

Caj, you have triumphed over all sorts of diversities in your time,
so I am certain this latest bedevilment won't slow you down.
If your attitude persists, however, maybe a new SxS will get
you settled out. Rx(take two shotguns, and lay down by the water)
TACC1

I don't have enough shotguns... yet.
I still need to acquire a good 20 and a 410. My 12 ga is an early Model 12 and my 16 is a Sweet Sixteen.

Why are the 410/45 combination revolver types (like the Rossi Circuit Judge) more expensive than just a 410 or 45? Hmmmm

I guess that would depend on the type and quality of the shotgun. an identical one would seem redundant to me. I've gone from about a dozen to 3 and feel better armed and able to do more with less better quality ones. currently I'm in a semi state of mind but wouldn't mind a nice double. it seems every multiple gun deal I ever made came with a Mossberg 500 or maverick and I had 6-7 of them at 1 time strictly for guest guns and stocked to fit kids/women to Shaquille O'nielle. now the 3 only fit me. a 12 ga Benelli sbe with 2 24" bbls one a smoothbore and the other a rifled/scoped bbl and an extended mag that I could likely do it all with that combo alone. a Belgian Browning 12 ga double auto for birds and trap that fits me better than anything and just cuz I like that type, the fit, the looks and longer bbl for birds and trap. for hunting over well trained dogs, the 12 ga's would tear up the birds too much as good dogs hold the birds closer. and less recoil for a long day of dove hunting, a 20 ga benelli montfeltro works well. I can hunt hogs,deer tukey well with the sbe and anything that flies with the other 2. my old Ruger red label English stocked 28 ga was nice but handled too fast for me, my fault, and I rushed shots and had to hit a pheasant twice once. also it's hard to make a triple with a 2 shot gun. my best work was done (when younger) with a M.B. 500 12 ga pump, 4 grouse from 1 covey rise, from the hip doubled on pheasant, decapitated a rabbit and my longest 1 shot deer kill with a smoothbore with rifled sights.

"Rifled" sights, eh? Those must be really distracting so I understand the satisfaction with the long shot, which might have been easier with a rifled-bore and smooth sights.

Just kidding, Nacho. How the heck did this nearly four-year-old thread resurface?

rifle type sights, not rifled, my typo. no idea how it resurfaced, it was in the new posts. honestly I don't even look at the op date, suppose I should.

Well, M29, I think jdf1966 may get the award for dragging up the oldest post. And, he upped his post count by 3 in doing it.

And, he gave me a "Like." Great guy!

But, it's a great topic and I still like trap-a lot. Shot a Big 50 competition today plus 4 rounds of practice.

This being retired is really rough!

Bob

new to being retired, thought it was supposed to be relaxing. don't know how I ever had the time for a job, let alone 2.

ain't it the truth!!