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Dave McC · April 14, 2001, 09:07 PM

Both guns and ours...

There's another thread where someone voices concerns about wearing out his shotguns. I understand his position, after all our cars, computers, and marriages sometimes seem to wear out way before the payments are done.

But, most good quality shotguns will last longer than we will,assuming sanity on the owner's part and reasonable maintenance. Some examples....

At PGC, I shoot sometimes with a brighteyed gent old enough to have been a Command Pilot, 8th Air Force, WWII.

He alternates between a beautiful Model 12 Trap, an 11-87 of recent vintage and a Kolar. His recent comment on running 25 straight the other day was he was glad the Model 12 still had it. He had been given the 12 as a present when he graduated OCS, 1941 or so. His guess as to how many shells he had run through it was nothing more than a shrug. He took up trap before the Korean War.

Another fellow there has a single bbl Parker trap model, made around 1935 and tight as new. The owner thinks(W/o devoting much time to it)he may have put 15,000 rounds a year through it since purchasing it around 1992. Who knows how many rounds through it since the 30s?

Colonel Joe, mentioned above, says that Rudy Etchen, one of the all time great clay shooters, used a 870 for 50 years, and still shoots it. A top skeet or trap shot like Etchen will go through a case of ammo a week to a couple of cases. Do the math(G)...

So, if you've a quality, well made shotgun, it will serve for far longer than you might believe possibly,especially if you....

First, keep the heavy loads to a minimum. No clay game I know of needs more than a 3 dram, 1 1/8 oz target load,oft less, and only waterfowl need more than that for wingshooting under most circumstances. Like driving a car at 80 rather than 55, hard use accelerates wear.

Second, keep it clean and lubed. Grunge is abrasive, and grunge buildup will loosen up even a fine gun faster than a clean, lubed gun will. And, learn where and how much YOUR shotgun needs lubing at. It may be a good idea to invest a few bucks and have a gunsmith take it apart and clean everything annually. And when you pick it up, quiz him as to what you should do to keep it looking and working at optimum.

Third, for those with autos,change the springs,O rings etc,at regular and frequent intervals.

HTH...

April 14, 2001, 09:07 PM	#1
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	Both guns and ours... There's another thread where someone voices concerns about wearing out his shotguns. I understand his position, after all our cars, computers, and marriages sometimes seem to wear out way before the payments are done. But, most good quality shotguns will last longer than we will,assuming sanity on the owner's part and reasonable maintenance. Some examples.... At PGC, I shoot sometimes with a brighteyed gent old enough to have been a Command Pilot, 8th Air Force, WWII. He alternates between a beautiful Model 12 Trap, an 11-87 of recent vintage and a Kolar. His recent comment on running 25 straight the other day was he was glad the Model 12 still had it. He had been given the 12 as a present when he graduated OCS, 1941 or so. His guess as to how many shells he had run through it was nothing more than a shrug. He took up trap before the Korean War. Another fellow there has a single bbl Parker trap model, made around 1935 and tight as new. The owner thinks(W/o devoting much time to it)he may have put 15,000 rounds a year through it since purchasing it around 1992. Who knows how many rounds through it since the 30s? Colonel Joe, mentioned above, says that Rudy Etchen, one of the all time great clay shooters, used a 870 for 50 years, and still shoots it. A top skeet or trap shot like Etchen will go through a case of ammo a week to a couple of cases. Do the math(G)... So, if you've a quality, well made shotgun, it will serve for far longer than you might believe possibly,especially if you.... First, keep the heavy loads to a minimum. No clay game I know of needs more than a 3 dram, 1 1/8 oz target load,oft less, and only waterfowl need more than that for wingshooting under most circumstances. Like driving a car at 80 rather than 55, hard use accelerates wear. Second, keep it clean and lubed. Grunge is abrasive, and grunge buildup will loosen up even a fine gun faster than a clean, lubed gun will. And, learn where and how much YOUR shotgun needs lubing at. It may be a good idea to invest a few bucks and have a gunsmith take it apart and clean everything annually. And when you pick it up, quiz him as to what you should do to keep it looking and working at optimum. Third, for those with autos,change the springs,O rings etc,at regular and frequent intervals. HTH...