Best wishes for your improved health and future shooting.
I am a late convert to Churchill guns, it started with an inexpensive sideplated BLE smith easy opener which was too cheap (due to the unpopular 25inch barrels) to pass on. I discovered I shot it well on pheasant. Then onto a second 25inch BLE smith easy opener, also very cheap, but with the extreme cast off I so like. I shoot it even better than the first. Lastly this week I purchase a third BLE smith easy opener at auction, this one with two sets of 27inch barrels; it will be torture waiting for the import to complete. My only problem with my Churchill guns is so far they are all 2.5 in 12ga. So after a lifetime of 16ga extremism, suddenly I last four guns are easy opening guns, a Boss, and three Churchill’s
I concur with your love of the Masters’ book. It is both well illustrated and informative.
I further believe that Robert Churchill’s “Game Shooting” is an excellent read. While I do not expose the pure adoption of everything he says. It is a good inspiration for learning many good lessons.
Like the adoption of a philosophy of life which for me is the conglomeration of both religious and classic Greco-Roman sources to work out what best serves my values and personality, To arrive at that philosophy I needed to experience life, observe realities, read extensively, and listen to both lectures and audiobooks.
I believe that shooting is like that adoption, it comes from coaching, experience at what works for you in various situations, reading, watching videos, etc., and much much practice. Rarely do any of us adopt a single pure shooting style, but meld with practice several or more styles and coaches. My style comes from my fathers coaching, Churchill’s “Game Shooting,” Michael Yardley, Gil & V Ash, many others I do not list, and an old shooter on the skeet range at Fort Sill when I was a Lieutenant whose name I sadly cannot recall, but whose emphasis on good mount, keeping the gun moving, and practice, practice, practice. Over hundreds of rounds of skeet, he helped me immensely.
