doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com What is your hardest used hunting shotgun?

This thread was originally put up in 2006 by Researcher so after 12 years perhaps time for an update. I note most of the posters at that time are no longer on this forum for one reason or another.

Mine has be be a Citori Lighting with 26" barrels, a straight grip and manual safety. It uses either Federal or Winchester BB steel and I put a mercury recoil reducer in the butt to tame it a bit and glass bedded the stock. Originally in full/mod I had the full barrel reamed to mod and have a steel choke sticking out of the tube. I bought it used in 1996 and have used it for migratory since.

I've guided with it for over 10 years and loaned it to a few hunters along the way. It has lain beside me in a lay down blind on every goose shoot. I keep the dog in the blind behind my head and he has stepped on it many a time. Lots of goose blood has dripped on it and most probably the gunk in the checkering is dried blood from my hands. Many-a-many mark on the wood but the factory finish on the wood has kept it looking pretty good. Wouldn't take much to refinish it should I ever decide. Blueing is slightly worn under the action but otherwise in good shape. It gets cleaned after every hunt and oiled and a wipe of tung oil on the stock at the end of the season.

Its probably the only gun that has fit me perfectly right off the shelf. I know it has been on enough hunts that tally over 10,000 migratory birds. Wouldn't know how many times its been fired but still a tight lock up.

My 16 gauge Nitro Special. I've used it for everything including deer. But even though I've owned it for decades I still don't think I have very many rounds through it. Possibly 3 to 4 thousand.

A Husqvarna 51, bought it about 8 years ago, just because it felt so good in my hands. I had it rechoked to IC&IM, shortened the stock to fit and re-fitted the steel butt plate. Being retired and living walking distance to some great duck hunting I hunt ducks a lot out here on the salt marshes and estuaries. I like it so much I purchased a much nicer one for better conditions and have bought a wreck for spare parts and another that someone cut the barrels for the wood on it.

I use 7/8 oz of ITX 6's most of the time but added some 1 oz Bismuth 5's in the left IM barrel this season.

Some one asked how do you decide which trigger to pull, no problem I pull the one for the hammer I cocked.

For upland a little Bernardelli Elios 5 lb 15 oz 12ga again, straight grip double triggers, 25" barrels, IC&IM but it came from the factory that way. 1 oz lead 6's, B&P High Pheasant.

Pre-type 1 Browning Citori 12 gauge 26" barrels

Fixed chokes IC & Mod 3" chambers

With this gun I have shot, deer, sandhill crane, geese, ducks, different kinds of quail, different kinds of doves, rabbits, pheasants, squirrel, skeet, trap, sporting clays etc.

It will chew up all kinds of ammo.

Mike

My Hollis Bentley and Playfair. When I first shot it , and thought after the trigger pull that I had missed, I had not missed. Still a lovely gun to look at when resting with the dog. The first one is gone, but the last one is never going.

SKB 20ga three-inch Model 500 o/u IC/M 26" barrels

My hardest used shotgun still functioning is a Kahn Arthemis 20ga w/28" barrels. More than 10,000 rounds through it. Breech face is starting to erode from shooting "hotter" 20ga Herter's cartridges. Not bad for $349.00.
Shot a straight with the F/M chokes today AAMOF.

I've worn out several autoloaders due to volume heavy duck loads, and broken inumerable SxS's.

Tamid, are you sure your Citori isn't a Citori Superlight?(I don't think Lightning's ever had anything other than a round knob semi-pistol, and a rounded forend)They are good for about 40k rounds before rejointing. That's a stout design.

Not one gun but a pair of 12ga Miroku Daly model 500s. Both 28" one with IC/M chokes and the other M/F. I usually reach for one or the other whatever I'm planning to shoot at...Geo

Hate to say this but I used my 1979 Remington 870 chambered for 2 3/4" simple no-rib barrel IC, for everything everywhere all over the globe until I fell for the Reilly 2+ years ago. It's been to Africa for three years, Belgium, India, Greece, and Italy and My son has now confiscated it.

ClapperZapper,

I have never really checked the model myself. I bought it at an auction and that is how it was listed. This gun has a straight stock and a schnabel forearm. Never weighed it but I would hesitate to call it 'super light'.