Someone on this remarkable board (I think it may have been Rocketman, aka Don Amos) said that all of us double gun enthusiasts fall somewhere on the continum of shooters, shooting collectors and straight collectors. I find myself in the middle.
I buy because it is is clever, pretty or interesting but only keep it if I find that I can shoot it reasonably well. I have found a good local stock man so I am not afraid to have most anything bent to my dimensions.
So I find my collection to be somewhat like a bag of golf clubs. There are at least a dozen different wing shooting and target pursuits and I have enjoyed filling each of those niches with a SxS that best lends itself to each venue. A great trap gun, a doubles trap gun, a perfect wild quail gun, a true waterfowler and a number of guns that can cover a number functions, modern and antique versions. You get the picture.... I can almost always find a good excuse to buy another pretty SxS!
All that said, I Iike old colonel's question, if one had to clean out the safe(s), what would be the last to go? Choosing function over beauty, the antiques would head to Julia's. Assuming that I am still healthy and able to chase feathers, 3 guns would stay: a 28 bore AYA #2 with 29" barrels for quail and dove, a self opening AYA Model 53 16 bore with 28" barrels for wild quail, pheasant and western prairie birds, and a 12 bore Betts Birmy BLNE waterfowler proofed at 1.5 oz with 3" chambers and 30" barrels weighing just under 8 lbs. These three also cover the target games well and none weigh less than 6lbs.
Thanks old colonel for posing a question that made me take stock in my hobby!
