All my guns get meticulous care and maintenance. I would say that most people I know who hunt, dont fall into that category. I only know one other guy who regularly shoots a double, my friend Lloyd3, and he will mix it up with pump guns as well, same as me.
We have -30 here today, I have hunted in mid 20s below, but, I was a younger dude when I did it, and might not have it in me anymore. If I did attempt it, Id use my Browning A5, as it has been reliable for both of its owners since 1952. Dad never had a hiccup with it, and neither have I. It gets cleaned and lubed at every use, same as the other guns. My belief is that the synthetic lubes that I use on the shock in the A5, and the others guns, as well, helps keep it running. But, Dad never had those lubes, and just used lighter oil when it was cold.
If you had one that didnt work, there was a problem with the gun, that simple. Light loads in a gun with a brand new set of springs can cause issue, but the fix is really simple-put the old springs back in, and lube the shock.
Brent, sorry you had an issue with one. Broken guns on a hunting trip suck. That said, Id be looking at why it was acting up, instead of blaming the design. Unlike the first SBE, the A5 and model 11 run pretty well, if taken care of.

Buzz, if you lived here, the police would be notified, and your dogs would be taken away from you. It happens all the time. I have a Setter, and understand the breeds limitations in this part of the country. Sub zero temps overnight and outdoors are beyond what a field Setter is capable of. My dog lives with me, indoors.

If you hunt with Huskies, I suppose they are fine out there. You would still have issued with the law in this part of the world, right or wrong.

Best,
Ted