Shotguns

by
posted on April 7, 2014
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
lessons_ah2015_fs.jpg (3)

undefinedRecently my friend and fellow scribe Richard Mann penned a piece for his website titled “Five Guns I’ll Never Own.” He said readers love this kind of stuff and that this was a blatant effort to drive more traffic to his website. One of the five was a shotgun—any shotgun—other than the Model 12 that belonged to his father. He considers himself a caretaker of it. I don’t know whether he generated much traffic to his website, but he started quite a discussion on Facebook with it.

Richard likes shooting rifles and pistols…a lot. Apparently he is not a devoté of trying to keep up with a bird dog in the nearly futile pursuit of feathered game. He stated elsewhere that leaning a shotgun next to a door jam just gives you something to trip over while trying to get to your rifle…or something to that effect. Obviously, he finds the shotgun a less-than-useful tool for self-defense. Opinions are like armpits; everyone has one or two, and they all stink. However—at least for the time being—we all have a right to our opinions.

Like Richard, when I think of shooting, the first thing that usually comes to mind is rifles and handguns. I’m kind of a stickler for accuracy, and the shotgun is not noted for pinpoint pellet placement. However, I do have a little English setter and she loves to hunt. And I do get quite a kick out of knocking down roosters over her. There aren’t any quail in Wyoming (dang it!), but I do dream of visiting a friend or two in quail country sometime soon. At one time I was a dedicated waterfowler and spent a lot of time chasing ducks and geese. I don’t hunt waterfowl much anymore; not because I don’t enjoy it, but because wading in a mucky pond or lake is too difficult with an artificial hip.

As for self-defense, I think keeping a short-barreled shotgun next to one’s bed is an excellent idea. Aside from the fact that it has beaucoup more stopping power than most any handgun; it is easier to operate—especially when rudely awakened—and it’s an intimidating thing to have one pointed at you.

So while I’ll agree with my West Virginia hillbilly friend that a DoubleTap pistol, an AK-47, a Glock and a Rhino revolver are very unlikely to take up residence here in my little Wyoming conclave (There are plenty more, but I won’t go into that now), several shotguns will always be welcome. If memory serves, I’ve got about eight 12 gauges hither and yon around here and a couple of 20s. I need another 12 gauge—a Winchester 1897 for Wild Bunch shooting—and I have a lifelong dream of a wispy 28-gauge sidelock that I may never see come to fruition.

Latest

Ledegrasssland
Ledegrasssland

Grassland Conservation Funds Available in Ohio

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife has $9 million in funding available for landowners who want to create grassland habitat that can support native wildlife, like northern bobwhite quail and other grassland-nesting birds.

New for 2025: Texas Hunter Products Trophy Quail Feeder

Texas Hunter Products has launched its the Trophy Quail Feeder, engineered to meet the diverse needs of landowners, hunters, and conservationists nationwide.

Hardware Review: Leupold VX-6HD Gen 2

This year Leupold introduced the VX-6HD Gen 2 series of scopes. Read our Hardware review of it here.

First Look: MDT Timbr Core Rifle Stock and Core Bottom Metal

MDT has announced that the Timbr Core Rifle Stock and Core Bottom Metal are now available.

#SundayGunday: Burris Signature HD 15x56mm Binocular

This week on #SundayGunday, we’re taking a break from things that go bang and setting our sights on a key piece of gear for spotting your quarry, the Burris Signature HD 15x56mm Binocular.

First U.S. Citizen Contracts New World Screwworm

On Aug. 24 HHS confirmed a Maryland resident—who recently traveled to El Salvador—is the first documented human case of New World Screwworm (NWS) in the United States. Presence of the parasitic larvae (maggots) was confirmed on Aug. 4 after studies conducted by the CDC and the Maryland Department of Health.

Interests



Get the best of American Hunter delivered to your inbox.