doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com A Walk in the Snow...

This morning I decided I wanted to walk around some areas I haven't been to for some time. I was hoping to find some holdover pheasants and rabbits, but really I just wanted to get outside and do a little exploring. Snow is great because you can see evidence (from their tracks) of what game is in the area even if you do not always see it "in the flesh". So I took a gun with me that I haven't carried in the field yet; a sort of getting-t-know-you situation. I originally purchased this gun to be a foul weather gun and to that end, I think it will be more than satisfactory. The gun is a Husqvarna 1310. The model 1310 was Husqvarna's attempt to return their shotgun line to the glory of the wonderful model 310 after building a number of in between models that did not seem to be as popular or sell as well - at least that is what research has led me to believe. The gun itself weighs 6.8 lbs with 27.5" barrels and lacks any type of engraving. The receiver is nearly fully silver with only faint shadows of it's original case coloring remaining. The stock was in rough shape when I purchased the gun, and I didn't feel like putting a lot of effort into a gun that would be used in the rain. So I took some (slacum) oil and extremely fine sandpaper and buffed it in with many coats until it had a smooth grain-filled surface. That's where I'll leave it. You can still see some dark scars in the wood from old dents, but I feel it gives the old girl character and stand as marks of it's many hunts. This gun does not have a crossbolt of any sort, but remains very tight after what appears to be much wear. The checkering is still very good (Husqvarnas from my experience do not tend to ever have sharp pointed diamonds, but are more smooth), and I removed the hideous rubber pad that was on the gun. I still need to find a proper Husqvarna butt plate for it, but reproductions can be found easily enough; I just have yet to do it. Anyways, it was -3 when I woke up this morning, so I waited until about noon when it had raised to a balmy 7 degrees before venturing out into the brush. I did not get a chance to fire the gun, however I found the information I was looking for. I will be returning to this area again. I hope you enjoy the pictures...

Thanks for sharing, looks like you and the gun had a good day afield. Sometimes it's just nice to get out when it's peaceful and quiet. It's tough in the cold.
Karl

Karl,

With my Dachstein Austrian boiled wool sweater under my canvas jacket, even with the winds whipping over the hills, I felt warm enough. Then again, I was only out for 3 hours, but after a rough week at work, I need days in the woods like today to center myself and relax.

Ah, I resort to wool myself. It's great to get out on a quiet day to "become one with the gun". Somehow taking a break in the middle of the northern woods sitting on an old fallen log makes everything right again. The scenery in you photos looks inviting.
I went out on New Years day last year after grouse, the last day of our season, simply as a soul cleansing. Works for me!
Karl

My day was sort of like yours. Like you I waited and waited for the temps to rise. It was -10F when I got up. -2 until midmorning and finally it crept up above zero at around noon. I was loading shells in the basement but this is the last weekend for pheasants in Iowa and I wanted to be out there. As did Gus. We finally left at about 1pm and after almost an hour's drive, we got to where we needed to be.

we saw a lot of birds, but most were hens, the close rooster was in the edge of the willows where Gus had it pinned. But so was I, and I couldn't swing on it. At least one willow is much shorter. I did, however, cold-cock a rooster with a Hail Mary shot in the cattails using just the backtrigger. It was a one chance opportunity and twin triggers paid off, when he dropped like a rock.

Tomorrow will reach freezing for the first time in weeks. We will be at it hard.

That's a really nice gun you have there. Good luck with it.

Brent

Great Pictures! Great day! Thank you!