Chuck, the first shotgun I ever owned was a 12 gauge pump, ventilated rib, poly choke when I was 14. Gun was heavy to carry and so I asked my parents the following year if I could repay them and get a 20 gauge double, also with a ventilated rib and single non-selective trigger. I used this gun quite a bit on woodcock, quail and pheasant. When I got drafted in 1965 after basic and AIT, went to Germany. There I purchased a Winchester 101 20 gauge and promptly sent it home in a leg-o-mutton case. I then bought in the rod and gun club a Remington 11-48 in a .410, 25" barrel, imp.cyl. which I hunted with over there with a German friend whose father owned quite a bit of land. I killed Hungarian Partridge, mallards, cinnamon teal and 10 lb, hares with it. When I came home I either used the 20 ga. 101 or I used the .410 for quail and woodcock. Still have all of them, but now only shoot sxs's.
Never shot a 12 gauge again until I started collecting L.C. Smiths. I loved shooting that .410, and I mentioned this before to you, that I missed a triple on wild quail, shot the first two going away, and missed the easiest shot, a crossing left to right cock bird. That was 44 years ago and I remember it like it was yesterday and can still see him flying away.
