Ouch that hurt

[Crazy_Farmer]

We noticed this last hunt, no ideas when it got hit though, may of been a from weeks ago. Owell, I guess we did something right to have geese that low and close, found a single pellet inside, looked large. I've been shooting BBs for awhile now but I know someone was shooting Ts aswell and it looked bigger then a BB but it could of been my BB. Pretty good shot tho

Time to retire that head and get a replacement I guess


I wanted to get out a shoot a SxS I bought awhile ago, a flock of three mallards came in, I shot one drake, matt shot the other and mine was in great shape and real fat almost 3 lbs, a northern by the looks real thick underlayer of feathers. It'll be headed for the wall I think.

Not a great picture of the colour but real pig of a drake.

[Marc]

Was that one of your DSD's?

Nice looking drake for sure.

[Crazy_Farmer]

Yep thats why it hurt so much

[HuntNHookSports]

That's funny.

Nice duck.

What sxs did you get?

[branthunter]

He is a beaut and not a mark on him or a feather out of place.--every time I get one like that I want to get it mounted----duck, brant, snow goose, whatever--but, as my Mrs. is fond of pointing out, I've got enough of them already and taxidermy is pricey enough that it's not in the budget anymore. Unless I get a canvasback drake some day---I saw one on the marsh shoot I posted pics of, but he was too far outside the dekes. Anyone else seen any recently? I used to get one or two a year 20 yrs ago.

[Crazy_Farmer]

What sxs did you get?

O just a stoeger uplander, 28" barrells, shoots 3 inch nothing fancy about it. I have a semi, pump, o/u so why not a SxS I guess. Bought it slighty used, I planned on buying it just to hunt the salt, didnt want to bring my winchester sx2 out there for the 10 days. So I figure I might aswell see if it hits anything before I use it out there. Shot the mallard twice and it felt good.

If this gun gets too rusted or starts looking rusty I'll probably paint it all battleship grey to look like a layout. Neat idea I thought.

[Ian F.]

Your concerns over the X2 and salt are unfounded!

I have an X2 I bought in 2000, it has hunted salt more then 1/2 of the times it's been out, including chasing eiders and scoters on the bay of fundy and it has not one spot of rust on it!

Simply take care to spray and wipe it down after your hunt and to get it dry when you get home. I do this with all my guns including SxS', pumps, autos and O/U's, no problems!

In fact your X2 is a better choice for the salt as the reciever is alloy, the bolt assembly is stainless as are a number of it's parts...

Rusted guns are from lack of care, not from quality of manufacture. You appear to take very good care of your gear, so worry not.

Very best,

Ian

[Crazy_Farmer]

I do agree the X2 could handle the salt. On the couple ones I did last year I cleaned it after each and theres no problems rust wise or anything. It is camo'd though which is a plus. On the other hand my brother sbe2 after 2 days out we cleaned it the same as mine but you can barely see a bit of surface rust in two spots. I rubbed it off pretty good but if you look close enough you can see it only on the barrell which is just metal no camo coating.

The main thing about the SxS to me is out there in a punt, hunting like how guys did years ago its the "old fashioned way" I guess it appeals to me. I think is was a guy on the fuge whos signature said something like "hunting divers over plastics and a semi is sacreligous". Though I've done that and still do hunt that way, one day I'd like to hunt over my own rig of corks or something with a sxs or o/u the old school way.

Your concerns over the X2 and salt are unfounded!

I have an X2 I bought in 2000, it has hunted salt more then 1/2 of the times it's been out, including chasing eiders and scoters on the bay of fundy and it has not one spot of rust on it!

Simply take care to spray and wipe it down after your hunt and to get it dry when you get home. I do this with all my guns including SxS', pumps, autos and O/U's, no problems!

In fact your X2 is a better choice for the salt as the reciever is alloy, the bolt assembly is stainless as are a number of it's parts...

Rusted guns are from lack of care, not from quality of manufacture. You appear to take very good care of your gear, so worry not.

Very best,

Ian

[Ian F.]

Ahhh that's a little different direction then you first indicated. Keep a can of WD or G96 in the truck and soak em when you get in! With the Benelli's make sure you store gun down after a soaking, they have issues with the recoil mechanism in the stock getting gummed up. No issues with the X2, best shotguns ever made!

Hear ya loud and clear on the old ways, I used to gun out of a boat I built, over dekes I built with a dog I trained, a totally different experience! I need to get back to hunting over my own blocks again, but it's hard when you look at the economics of it all.

If you want to try carving, my shop is always open..

Very best,

Ian

[HuntNHookSports]

Make sure you remove and oil your chokes too. I had a choke just about rust into place. The after market stainless steel chokes are far better.
The main problem with sxs or o/u is they kick like a mule!