[kenster]

Well while I was out in ND on my pheasant trip, my gun and I had a slight problem. On the second to last day, as a big ole rooster got up next to my feet. My gun didn't want to shoot, first off I had a bad shell from Federal. I don't think the shell was packed right, as i pulled the trigger you could see the pellets rolling out of the end of the barrel. Of course not a big deal, I figured I'd just rack another shell in and still get a nice long shot. Then I realized that the "operating handle" to the chamber was gone. It had snapped right off. How I have no idea, there I was in the middle of the field and with a broken 12GA. So of course trip to the gunsmith today and the part has to be ordered. So a few more weeks without my gun. Luckily I always have a spare or two laying around the house Has this ever happened to anyone before? Attached is a pic of where the handle was, you can see a silver piece of metal where the handle was. I would have been happy to use it as a single shot, but then I would have hated to carry a screwdriver to open the chamber after every shot..I'm not real happy with a 2 year old gun

 

[Tim Madsen]

That break look like cast metal that wouldn't happen to machined steel. IMHO

 

[kenster]

Tim,
TBH i think that was a fluke. Just the way my luck goes. All in all i have been very happy with that gun, it has killed quite a few birds.

It took two weeks to get a new piece in, but since i have had it back there has been no problems with it at all. Heck I had it our in the snow this last weekend shooting ducks and it worked great, if only my aim had been a bit better..

 

[Tim Madsen]

I'm glad it's working out for you. Sounds like bird hunting is really good out their. My gun is a Remington Sportsman (American Browning). My dad passed it down to me, he probably killed hundreds of pheasant with it. It still shoot nice after having thousands of rounds fired through it. I'm glad to hear the pheasant are doing well on the plains. I haven't hunted on the old homestead (Clark county SD) in years. I live in Virginia now and their isn't much bird hunting here. I miss it!

 

[kenster]

Tim,
There aren't many birds here in MI either, which is why we head to ND every other year. We have always got our limit to bring home. Some years we have to work pretty hard but we always get a lot of shooting out there. My normal bird gun here is my remington 1100 LT 20 guage, that works great in the swamps for grouse and woodcock. It is lighter and shorter which helps out swinging through the trees...