madtrapper143
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Steep Rock Lake NWO
Gentlemen, just a few thoughts from the tortured mind of a shotgunner.
When I was a lad ( many years ago) I remember spending hours looking at Outdoor magazine ads featuring Remington and Browning shotguns all gleaming with a vent rib. My own 870 was cursed with a 30" plain barrel. In fact other than the odd Belgian Browning at the Lion's Club Turkey shoots none of the local rabbit/fox hunters I knew had a rib equipped gun.
I waited and prayed and with one of my first city of Toronto pay cheques I purchased a shotgun with a vent rib. It was a model 120 Winchester ranger and had all the handling qualities of a 2x6. I was undaunted though and continued through my 20's and 30's seeking out and actively purchasing shotguns with vent ribs. The thought of going afield with a plain barreled gun was outrageous.
Then suddenly I was in my 40's and looking at photos of my father and uncles all now deceased. Dad with his plain barreled model 12, Uncle George with his plain barreled model 37 Ithaca and Uncle Roy with his plain barreled 870. I decided that I had to somehow recreate those good old days. ( a common issue with baby boomer era sportsmen)
I began to purchase plain barreled shotguns. Remington model 11's,870's 1100's and a few Ithaca 37's and alot of Mossberg 500's. It was like an awakening. The guns were noticeably lighter and somewhat easier to grip and carry in the "trail" carry position. All were utterly reliable. I now find the appearance of a vent ribbed gun somewhat clumsy and cluttered. A far cry from my pre teen days. I own vent ribbed guns but I prefer my plain barreled classics. ( the solid rib on my sxs is another matter)
Am I going through a shotgunner's mid life crisis or am I starting to see that simple is not necessarily low tech or not useful?
regards, Darryl
When I was a lad ( many years ago) I remember spending hours looking at Outdoor magazine ads featuring Remington and Browning shotguns all gleaming with a vent rib. My own 870 was cursed with a 30" plain barrel. In fact other than the odd Belgian Browning at the Lion's Club Turkey shoots none of the local rabbit/fox hunters I knew had a rib equipped gun.
I waited and prayed and with one of my first city of Toronto pay cheques I purchased a shotgun with a vent rib. It was a model 120 Winchester ranger and had all the handling qualities of a 2x6. I was undaunted though and continued through my 20's and 30's seeking out and actively purchasing shotguns with vent ribs. The thought of going afield with a plain barreled gun was outrageous.
Then suddenly I was in my 40's and looking at photos of my father and uncles all now deceased. Dad with his plain barreled model 12, Uncle George with his plain barreled model 37 Ithaca and Uncle Roy with his plain barreled 870. I decided that I had to somehow recreate those good old days. ( a common issue with baby boomer era sportsmen)
I began to purchase plain barreled shotguns. Remington model 11's,870's 1100's and a few Ithaca 37's and alot of Mossberg 500's. It was like an awakening. The guns were noticeably lighter and somewhat easier to grip and carry in the "trail" carry position. All were utterly reliable. I now find the appearance of a vent ribbed gun somewhat clumsy and cluttered. A far cry from my pre teen days. I own vent ribbed guns but I prefer my plain barreled classics. ( the solid rib on my sxs is another matter)
Am I going through a shotgunner's mid life crisis or am I starting to see that simple is not necessarily low tech or not useful?
regards, Darryl
