The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Do you judge people by the shotgun they carry??

Boats · August 12, 2011, 07:07 PM

I have to say that I have a mild case of "reverse bias."

All three of my shotguns are "fighting shotguns." The closest I have come to hunting with any of them is staring at the romanticized scene stamped into the receiver of an old Ithaca M37 I have. On a lark with a buddy of mine who is into doubles I have shot skeet a couple of times with the M37, but that was only because the barrel was long enough to not overly handicap me nor get derided as a tacitcool noisemaker. Never even done it in camo, nor with my Mossy 590A1 with its unfashionably large magazine tube, but got snickered at just the same as if I had.

So I actually have a mild disdain for the trap/skeet shooters at my club, with their engraved steel and polished up blue and walnut fowling pieces, some which cost more than many a used car does. They remind me of the retired golfing crowd that my Dad hangs with, as that "sport" is his past time. They too are heavily gear oriented and fashion picky to boot.

I have no time for their overt snobbery. Especially from a group of "gentlemen" who wouldn't score well at all, or die of a heart attack, if they actually had to scoot and shoot, which is what I do with my shotguns in three gun. I even do it from time to time with a Stoeger Coach Gun, just to see what it is like to fire two and load two on the move. More time for them at the trap range I guess.

FWIW, I like sporting clays the best, but our club doesn't have the acreage for a proper course. At least the one time I got to do it elsewhere, varied target acquisition was the name of the game rather than repeatable shooting consistency at a totally known distance.

August 12, 2011, 07:07 PM	#55
Boats Junior member Join Date: September 15, 2002 Location: Oregon Posts: 964	I have to say that I have a mild case of "reverse bias." All three of my shotguns are "fighting shotguns." The closest I have come to hunting with any of them is staring at the romanticized scene stamped into the receiver of an old Ithaca M37 I have. On a lark with a buddy of mine who is into doubles I have shot skeet a couple of times with the M37, but that was only because the barrel was long enough to not overly handicap me nor get derided as a tacitcool noisemaker. Never even done it in camo, nor with my Mossy 590A1 with its unfashionably large magazine tube, but got snickered at just the same as if I had. So I actually have a mild disdain for the trap/skeet shooters at my club, with their engraved steel and polished up blue and walnut fowling pieces, some which cost more than many a used car does. They remind me of the retired golfing crowd that my Dad hangs with, as that "sport" is his past time. They too are heavily gear oriented and fashion picky to boot. I have no time for their overt snobbery. Especially from a group of "gentlemen" who wouldn't score well at all, or die of a heart attack, if they actually had to scoot and shoot, which is what I do with my shotguns in three gun. I even do it from time to time with a Stoeger Coach Gun, just to see what it is like to fire two and load two on the move. More time for them at the trap range I guess. FWIW, I like sporting clays the best, but our club doesn't have the acreage for a proper course. At least the one time I got to do it elsewhere, varied target acquisition was the name of the game rather than repeatable shooting consistency at a totally known distance.