I noticed one common theme running thru this thread. Most if not all of us inherited 1 or perhaps a couple of guns but many of us now have several,and I suspect some of us in the dozens many of which are high end examples. I believe most of our father and grandfathers couldn't "indulge" themselves as we do today and would probably be amazed at the size of our collections.
During this season I think it's particularly important that we all count our blessings and be grateful for what we have.
Jim
I think you are on the right track here, Jim. My Dad and my uncles all shot Model 12's-- my maternal Grandfather made really good money in the live bird shoots across the river from the Queen City into SE KY back in the pre-WW2 era- so he could afford to own and keep a few good parkers and a hammer Purdey- sort of like what the late Jack O'Connor detailed about his Granddad in his growing up years in AZ--But for waterfowling and pheasants, he shot either a well-worn Model 1897 or a equally worn smooth Model 12- and all 12 gauges- "The Man's Gauge"--I was given a Model 12 field 20 with 28" solid rib Mod. choke barrel (circa 1931 with the smaller grip "perch belly" shock- still have it and shoot it- the first time I shot one of Granddad's double guns with two triggers, I foolishly put two fingers inside the guard, with the usual resulting "doppel" kick--
In the service Stateside, skeet and the O/U's were popular, as well as base issued cutts comped Model 12's and Remington M31's--I never really liked the stacked barreled O/U's- and Winchester 101's made in Yakasaki land were available at the Quantico PX for under $200- late 1960's-- But my CO, who came from old VA money- and a Academy man- had several LC Smith, AH Fox and Ithaca doubles, and he liked to shoot skeet with them, and as I was the NCOIC of the armory where the base owned shotguns and clays and ammo were stored, he took a kindness towards me, and let me shoot them when he was out for some clays shooting- That was the "hook" as I especially liked his LC Smiths-
Now I own 5 Smiths, all 12, and 4 are graded pre-1913 guns. I also own a AH Fox 20 bore and a Ithaca NID std. 10 with the 2&7/8" chambering-and seven pre-1950 Model 12's-- No Model 1897's, no Limey made guns, no 16 or (UGH) midget .410 bores either- 12 gauge is reload-able, available, and affordable- and I use RST 2.5" in all my Smiths exclusively. I am not a real clays man, but I shoot a ton of barn pigeons and crows in the off-waterfowling seasons here in MI!!
