I was quail huntig today and was going down a farely steep hill on some bare ground DG, decomposed granite. like steping on marbles. Feet flew out from under me and slammed my sxs on the ground. I was watching my dogs just getting into a spot where I new quail were.
It was just a inexpensive old stevens 5100 20 ga. that I keep in the truck . Glad it wasnt one of my expensive guns. Scraped the barrel blue off and put some gouges in the metal right by the chamber scraped and gouged the butt pretty good.

I have a 12 ga that has quiet a bit of custom volcanic rock engraving and wood checkering also, from chukar hunting.

That's always "painful". It's usually the first scrapes on a gun that "hurt" the worst.

All the best,
Kyler

GSP7, damn lucky you werent chukar hunting. Those cliff dwelling monsters. I was skeet shooting with a friend today and he described a recent hunt where he just crested a hill with his two dogs and a covey of chukars flushed just as he reached the top. At the same time he started to slip down the slope and managed a quick shot and got a bird. he continued to slide and put one hand on the ground and went for a second shot with one hand holding the gun aloft. Would make a great story if he got the bird but he didn't. He said he wasn't even close but he was not going to let them off without a second volley.

it's always the first scratch on a new gun that's the worst, all the rest just add 'character'.
Like my friend doing a river crossing in his new Range Rover (c'mon, let's go and scout for deer opening!), gets to the creek, "what do you think, can we gat across?"
No says I, go back the long way, don't risk your 118,000 $ AUD car in that!
"Nah, she'll be right!"
Of course now we are stuck in the middle of the river, and since I need a wheelchair to get around, things aren't looking good.
"glad I fitted the winch"
So his megabuck 4x4 is soaked, we spend hours getting it started (all the gucci computers are rooted), and the I realised.
Oh Shit! My new gun is in the back, soaked!
AARRGGH! Open the tailgate, the tide's in!

Took about a week to dry out the case and had to detail strip the gun. It will take forever to get the oil finish back to the state it was.
Next time, I'm going to take one of those waterproof 'pelican' cases, and a lifejacket.

I thought we were doing a deer recon, not a duck recon. Officers! What can you do?

Cheers, Dave.

I had once been asked to evaluate a 12 Ga Parker S/S . The gun had been abused, it must have been just thrown into the back of a truck without case etc.Deep gouges in the stock,scratched metal etc.But the inside was perfect , rarely fired ,no wear ,perfect bore. I would have made a great gun for rough hunting !!

Nothing like an old Parker. I shoot my Trojan regularly. It was made in 1921 and still shoots like it was right out of the box. The bluing is worn and has a few dings here and there,but hunting is what a gun like that is built for.

My first really nice shotgun was a Browning Citori, 12 ga. 3" chambers, purchased in 1981, saved my pennies for a long time for that one. First winter duck hunting in Brock, TX, I stepped out to take a teal from my retriever, and the bank gave way under my feet. Realizing that I was going into the drink, I tossed the o/u back to the bank and scarred the barrels and stock mercilessly. Like the old song, the first cut is the deepest. I still carry that gun today, you can not even find the original scrathes, about 20% blueing left, and the bright shinny stock is a maze of dings and bumps. It is still my skeet/sporting clays/ dove/duck/crow/snake gun, and funtions fine. I on the other hand am about worn out!

buddy of mine bought a brand new citori for hunting. His first huntwas for chuckar where he fell and landed on top of his gun. It snapped the stock wright at the wrist.