doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Shooting Brakes

One thing necessary is ground clearance which may be lacking in some of the "go fast" brakes. One practical addition to the SUV's are the custom false floor full length gun cabinets with pull out drawers for guns and equipment. The drawers aren't visible with the gate/hatch closed. I've seen some nice ones on this forum--Amarillo Mike's? Mike has that "erector set" dog box as well. Gil

Gil- Many of the AWD Sport wagons have 8+ inches of clearance.
400 hp in some of them.
When you want to go, it's in there.

I've had plenty of SUV's, I'm going in a different direction this time. Tired of driving the big buses. Not playing guide and chauffeur any more either. My lifestyle and needs are evolving. I'm refocusing my leisure pursuits.

DamSXS seems to be the only respondent exploring the genre so far.

My daughter drives an AWD Subaru Outback. As she currently lives in Brooklyn, she is piling up parking tickets and I expect it to be coming home soon. When she was teaching in France, I used it occasionally during the turkey season and parked my gas guzzling Toyota. It seemed to get around fairly well on the back roads and sipped gas.

Years ago, when I was between trucks, I used a front wheel drive Honda Wagovan, the Little Brown Hen. I high centered it in the turkey woods and walked out and hitch hiked back to town in full camo carrying a Mossy 835. I got dropped off at Jerry's car lot by the man in a truck who picked me up. Jerry went in with his tow truck and pulled me out. Just before the man let me out at Jerry's, out of curiosity I asked him why he would pick up anyone carrying a shot gun. "By the time I saw the gun, it was too late."
Gil

Gil- I have an '08 Forester, and it's very maneuverable in the woods. You'll like the Subie.

An Izaak Walton League fellow club member, Royal Carlock, (google him) was an avid coon hunter when I was a small boy. He and his wife shared a pair of 1957 Chevrolets, a Nomad and a Bel Air two door hardtop, both painted in the miserable GM metallic pink. His wife always drove a late model Cadillac Fleetwood four door. Royal would not think of transporting the coon hounds in the Chevrolets, which were always immaculate. However, when his wife would purchase a new Fleetwood, the old one would be stripped of its rear seat and become the "Shooting Brake". These were not old cars, and externally looked like limos for hire. Royal purchased the original 365 acre farm that is now a 600 some acre Izaak Walton conservation exercise. Royal became ill and died about the time I got released from military service in late 1969.

I like my miles eater - a 96 Volvo 850 turbo. 28+ mpg on the interstate, heated leather seats, legroom, cavernous trunk. I put one of those removable "canvas" (made from some synthetic fiber) seat covers on the back seat for the dog.

Cost me $3500 4 years ago, plus the usual maintenance on a 21 y/o car.

OTOH, if you want to go really high-end, a friend of a friend uses a Porsche Cayenne. Goes fast, rides great, and it's a real SUV that can go off-road (if you really want to). https://www.carthrottle.com/post/how-good-is-a-porsche-cayenne-as-an-offroad-vehicle/

For me it is a Ford E-150 Cargo Van with posi-traction and 3/4 ton running gear under it. It is set up with a bunk, table, cabinets, lights and furnace in the back and a solar panel on the roof. I can go to shoots or hunt just about anywhere, plenty of ground clearance and with a set of chains I can follow a 4x4 just about anywhere, sand washes are my only problem spots. It even has a built in gun locker that will hold 4 guns.

Chasing birds in MT with four kennel dog trailer complete with electric ventilation system to keep the dogs cool on hot days.

There was an old guy in Redlands that was a limey SxS'er, had a pile of 'em, who also had a Rolls shooting brake. It was pretty hammered but it was all there and he drove it to the club every time I saw him..... I suspect that his son now has all the guns and the Roll'er

have another day
Dr.WtS

My current shooting brake is a Subaru Outback, preceded by a series of various pickups, a Ford Explorer Limited 4wd, a full-sized Bronco, a Suburban, a Jeep Grand Wagoneer, a Jeep Commando, a Toyota Land Cruiser Wagon, a Buick Wildcat four-door hardtop, an ancient VW Bug, and a 1965 Volvo 544. They've all been fun, but the most missed is the Wagoneer, which I owned for about 12 years. I'm now on the short list for a call on a nice 1987 Grand Wagoneer if the current owner ever decides to sell. If I should win a lottery, I'll go to Wagon Master for a fully restored Grand Wagoneer. Or go buy a Range Rover.

Ford is reintroducing the Bronco. It might be a good seller. There is almost a cult following of the old Broncos.

http://www.carbuzz.com/news/2017/1/19/Ne...ration-7737437/

SRH