Only kid, at the moment, is my own. He shoots right handed, and already has a small armory. None of the kids in our circle have any interest in a SXS gun. My boy always defers to his A5, over his Silver Snipe. Maybe time and experience will change that, or, not. I’m glad he has a bit of preference, at this point. Most of his friends are uninterested.
My 20s are pumps at the moment. They mostly sit. My own preferences were settled years ago. This would be an exercise in making the unused gun of a very good friend useful to me. The MN weapons collectors gun show was last weekend, and Carl and I went to the spring show every year for decades. It isn’t the same without him, and I didn’t go this year, passed some rifle ammunition to another friend who had a table. A few handfuls of .270, 30-06, .257 Bob, and some primed factory hulls for each netted $400.
Crazy.
My Nitro 16 is my non toxic shot gun. I use it locally with Heavi-shot, on places that require it. This might seem odd, but, most of my shotguns have a specific task for my use, and that use brings me a bit of joy. I’ve hunted the non toxic only spot a few counties north of me for almost 50 years. I feel good with the old Nitro there, remembering half a dozen generations of Setters who hunted it with me. To a one, the kids I hunted with back then have aged out. Sobering.
I could sell everything, buy a 20 autoloader, and use it for everything the rest of my life. It would be easy.
But, I won’t. I’d really like to use Carl’s gun a few times a season, and wish I had met him when he was young enough to tag along.
Best,
Ted
