Keeping faith with old friends
The enjoyment derived from using vintage guns for game shooting is an important part of many a day in the field. They are some of the finest guns ever produced and were built by bench-trained master craftsmen who devoted a lifetime to their art. Gun making reached its zenith at the turn of the century when skilled artisans forged, carved and finished guns for their discerning clientele, building them up to a level of perfection, rather than down to a price. It is telling that many are still in use more than 100 years later. Sadly, there are some today who would have others believe they are obsolete hardware in a soon to be non-lead-shot world. I don’t believe that to be true.
I have no interest in shooting antiaircraft shells at pheasants on the edge of space; if that is your principal focus then the chances are that you are already shooting a modern over-and-under. But for those of us who enjoy using side-by-sides for reasonable birds at decent ranges, what does the future hold?
