One Rusty Benelli
1/8/2010
Guide T.J. Christensen of the Bay Flats Lodge apparently doesn’t hold the same “use a gun, clean a gun” philosophy that so many fathers instill in their sons. In fact, a passing glance at his rusty Benelli Super Black Eagle II is enough to offend someone who reveres firearms.
I can’t say I blame T.J. for the state of his shotgun, though. Think about it: He hunts ducks in a Texas Gulf salt marsh every day of the season. Even if he cleaned his gun daily, I’m not sure he could prevent the onset of rust. Saltwater can practically cause guns to deteriorate before your eyes. And consider that T.J. has to devote time to decoys, scouting, moving blinds and maintaining a host of equipment, not to mention raising a family. There are only so many hours in the day, so sometimes T.J.’s firearm maintenance falls a little to the wayside.
“My Benelli spends most of the season riding in the bottom of an airboat,” T.J. told me, “I’m more concerned about taking care of clients than cleaning it. I know it looks horrible, but it shoots three times every time. A lot of clients who show up with shiny new guns can’t say the same.”
Coastal areas abuse firearms, and for this reason a significant historic event occurred during my hunt with T.J: I helped clean the shotguns after each morning’s hunt. It’s my understanding that this is the first time an outdoor writer has allowed gun cleaning to interfere with naptime.
