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Joined: 06 Sep 2007 Posts: 154 Location: Kentucky

Hello all, I've been a lurker on the board for sometime now and thought I'd register and post some of my pearls of wisdom every now and then. A middle aged accountant, I'm a life long 16ga. fan. My first shotgun was a 16ga. 870 that I traded a pony saddle to in about 1968. thru H.S. I shot a truck load of doves, rabbits, a few quail and a grouse or two and about as many woodcock. I foolishly traded my 870 . Over the years I have had several other 16's most notably a model 12 and an auto 5 . Currently I have two 16's my Dad's old 40'S vintage Ithaca 37 deluxe and a white lightning citori. I also have a 870 12ga. a mossberg 500 20ga. and an old Iver Johnson champion with a solid rib and checkered stock. I am using the little Iver Johnson more and more these days as it's a nostalgia thing with me. My first gun was my grandads which was just like it but is not in very good shape and was retired when I got my 870 back in 1968. After fooling with guns for nearly 40 years I finally found a replacement just like it and I am enjoying shooting it.

Don't do a lot of bird and small game hunting these days having concentrated on deer the past few years with a group of buddies. Lately though I have been invited to a couple of dove hunts that remind me of my HS days when a group of us use to have shoots on dairy farms that were plentiful back then and permission was easy to gain. I have really enjoyed these outings. Anyway I'll be around and hope to be talking to you soon.

Powder,
Welcome to this great site and I'm sure that you'll enjoy it. Thanks too for your interesting post Smile

I too have an old Iver J champion that I keep out in my equipment barn to ward off those invading cottontails Laughing

The old gun makes lots of lunches during the year.

Member Joined: 09 Mar 2007 Posts: 972 Location: Keller,TX

Powderburn, We're glad to have you join us. When you decide to pattern your citori, I bet it's shooting high. My 425 12 bore shot almost a foot high at 30 yards. I crippled and missed afew birds before I discovered my comb was too high and lowered it till I was on. Wink

Joined: 06 Sep 2007 Posts: 154 Location: Kentucky

XVI'er thanks for the response. Do you mind me asking what you shot before going to the Citori. I have always felt the Remington stocks fit me well. Interesting that you shoot high as the straight away angles are the ones that I hit most consistantly so I'm guessing your prediction of my outcome will be right.

Welcome aboard PB! Pearls of Wisdom are always welcome. Very Happy

Welcome Powderburn,

I am on here almost daily, though I do not post often. It is a great site dedicated to a great guage and your pearls will be looked for.

Rooster

Member Joined: 26 Jun 2005 Posts: 425 Location: Big D

Welcome. Do cast your pearls of wisdom before us- heaven knows we need them.

Mike

Joined: 06 Sep 2007 Posts: 154 Location: Kentucky

Captain_Billy
I was really tickled to get my old Champion. Like I say it is a pretty neat vrsion with the rib and a nice schnable (sp?) to the checkered forend. It is probably a trap version of the standard gun. With my grandads old gun I now have a matching pair that I can have my manservent carry and load for me as a proper gentleman would :^)

I was about 10 when my dad passed his fahers gun to me. It is pretty pitted and even had a swollen barrel but with low power shells a gunsmith said to go ahead and shoot it which I did since it was all I hadfor the 1st 5 years or so I hunted. Like I said I retired it as soon as I got something else as I would hate to split the barrel etc. The only other one I've ever seen that was in much better shape was when I was about 12 and saw it in a shop . The guy told me he would sell it to me for $15 bucks but that my dad would have to come and buy it. We were visiting my maternal grandparents and I ran al the way to the house to ask dad to come and buy it . I told him that I had the $ from my lawn mowing and if he would buy it I'd pay him when I got home. Of course I got the " "You don't need that thing you've got one. You need to save your money" speach. Needless to say I didn't get it. Also don't you know it was a 16 ga. I have thought about that gun for over 35 years. Anyway I found another 12 in a shop a couple of years ago that was in good shooting shape tight but sort of rough in the varnish and the barrel was turning to a patina. I refinished the stock and the bore cleaned up like new so now I am back to where I started. Though some people look at me sort of funny when I show up with it I kind of enjoy holding it and remembering the outings in the woods with my dad and hearing the stories of how my grandad bought his during the depression for $5 because dad threw a fit on him when he saw it (somehow dad forgot that when I wanted the 16ga) and how it accounted for a lot of squirrel and rabbit dinners back on the farm.