So, I got to thinking...

Standard Ithaca 37 16 is basically my only shot gun. Theres a Savage/Fox SXS 20 and 3 410's IIRC, along with the obligatory Mossberg 500 12ga farm gun. Never found anything that a stiff load of 5's out of the 16 wouldn't handle. As someone else said, since my last dog got hit there hasn't been a lot of shotgun hunting. Why bother without a Boykin?

As far as the rest, pretty sure I could get along fine with a 22, a 25, 6.5 or 7mm and maybe a 32 or 38 handgun. But where is the fun in any of that nonsense?!!!

Model 12 was my first gun purchase. In 1968 was seventeen and too young, so Dad had to legally purchase it. Bought it used, from a jewelry store across the street from the local pool hall, I hung out at. Doc, the proprietor, knew I was looking for a shotgun, took me over to examine it. Twelve gauge, poly choked, with a leather "Leg of Mutton" take down case.......for the sum of 85 dollars, in excellent condition. Used it for birds and deer hunting. Lower half of Michigan, was shotgun only for deer. Didn't throw slugs very well. Eventually, found a new modified barrel at Numerich Arms. Had that barrel cut down to riot length, preserving the poly choked one. Still resides in my gun vault.

Agree Bret, Ithaca and area surrounding is very nice.
As a kid growing up 25 mi so of Rochester, there were
a lot of nice small towns. A hardware store, a grocery
with a post office, a two pump gas station, etc. 7-10 mi
apart. There were decent squirrel woods, and rabbits and
fox were plentiful as were deer. Posted signs were plentiful
then, but non posted land in that area now are just about
non existent. Deer and turkey are now somewhat over-
populated, as there are fewer hunters.

Paul

KHornet said:

Deer and turkey are now somewhat over-
populated, as there are fewer hunters.

Click to expand...

Paul,

I'm doing my part in keeping the deer population down. ;o)

Don

Brett,
When I was a kid, my dad owned a Fox sxs in 12 ga. To this day I've never shot a gun that recoiled or beat me up as bad as that Fox did. Pulling the trigger on that was like pulling a mules tail!! The stock was so narrow it left a bruise on my cheek.

Yeah, funny how the ones that beat you to death as a kid are light recoilers now. First time I shot my uncles 30-30 M94 I thought I'd die from the recoil. Years later I messing with a 358 Norma and thought about how nice the 30-30 was.