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< 16ga. General Discussion ~ Tale of two empties |
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Posted:
Sat Mar 02, 2019 2:58 pm
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Member
Joined: 16 Dec 2007
Posts: 592
Location: Minnesota
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As a youngster I was only allowed to walk the forest road or trail while the adults pushed through the grouse woods. My job was simple and I understood it clearly - stay out of the way so they could focus on hunting. With not much to do I would collect empty hulls. One day I found a purple hull of which I had never seen that color before. Eventually I showed my father the hull and asked him why it was purple. He said it was from a 16ga. I only knew about 12 and 20ga shotguns so I asked what a 16ga was and he explained it was a shotgun used by old times but everyone now shoots a 12 or a 20. My father was, and still is, a 12ga autoloader die hard and to my recollection the 16ga was never again discussed.
Fast forward 20 years and for various reasons I ended up with a 16ga double gun. I went to buy shells and upon opening the box a smile crossed my face as I recalled the last time I had seen a purple shell. I've been shooting 16ga doubles ever since and although I never leave my empty hulls I sometimes wonder if I should in hopes a youngster finds them and asks his/her mentor about the 16ga. |
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Posted:
Sat Mar 02, 2019 4:05 pm
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Joined: 17 Mar 2017
Posts: 2800
Location: Endless Mountains of Pa
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PatrickB,
Great story I liked it a lot. Never thought a Grouse hunter would not know a 16 gauge empty shell. In my era most all Grouse hunters owned a 16 gauge double gun, many of us more than one.
Things did change later on, and maybe even today some of the youngsters don't know the color of a standard 16 gauge shell.
Just goes to show a lot of us are getting up there in years, we do not use smart phones either.
Pine Creek/Dave
L.C. Smith Man |
_________________ "L.C. Smith America's Best" - John Houchins
Pine Creek Grouse Dog Trainers |
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Posted:
Sun Apr 14, 2019 6:35 pm
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Joined: 23 Feb 2008
Posts: 191
Location: Nebraska (It’s not for everyone)
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I píck up empty shells and trash when I'm out hunting and often I have more trash in my vest at the end of an armed walk than birds. I often wonder what the hunter who left the shells were thinking when they entered the field with the gun and shells they were carrying. Last year I picked a 10 ga 2 7/8" lead 2 shot, a couple of 3.5" steel and a bunch of 12b 3". These are pheasant fields with a possibility of a prairie grouse. No turkeys, ducks or geese. I can't imagine shooting any of the above at Pheasants |
_________________ Mediocrity knows nothing higher than itself, but talent instantly recognizes genius.
- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle |
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Posted:
Sun Apr 14, 2019 7:12 pm
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Joined: 16 Jul 2015
Posts: 2126
Location: Hudson,Wy
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Oh believe me, I intend to use some 2 7/8" 10 ga. rounds on Sharptails this next season. Not #2 lead, but #5 buffered reloads. Perhaps that odd hull sent forth a reloaded charge for some other vintage 10 toting bird man...we may never know. |
_________________ Only catch snowflakes on your tongue AFTER the birds fly south for the winter... |
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Posted:
Sun Apr 14, 2019 7:46 pm
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Member
Joined: 15 Apr 2007
Posts: 9464
Location: Amarillo, Texas
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I use a 10 gauge for doves and skeet
BUT
You know my rule, I take a different shotgun each time I go out for doves.
Mike |
_________________
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USAF RET 1971-95 |
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