Three Of Many....
Lasting Impressions:
.600 Nitro Express: - My father actually owned this gun at one time, but sold it to a family friend who "encouraged" me to shoot it when I was 21, young and full of P&V. It was a double barreled rifle made in England back in the 40's I believe. He loaded two rounds in the gun, I fired one and handed it back to him trying to cover the throbbing in my shoulder and the whince on my face. I tried to buy it off the family when he passed away, but they sold all of his guns in one shot for a stunningly low price, (around $300.00 per gun for 100 guns total) to some collector who got the deal of a lifetime.
Ithaca Roadblocker 10ga: - Man people really like to "test" big guys for the ability to take a beating. I bought a Roadblocker off my friend Doc in Ohio back in the 80's. He was a feverish reloader and
gave me some of his shells he simply called "magic". They were magic alright - the only benefit I got from them was that he loaded me enough to torture all comers until I sold the gun in 1990.
.450 Marlin Guide Gun - Non Ported: - This I brought on myself. I gave up hunting at 23, so at a then 40, I had no real need for this rifle - only a want. I laid it away, paid on it faithfully and picked it up along with 4-boxes or Hornady 350gr FP's. I made it through 2 of the 4 boxes - the rest went to Collectors when I traded it in for my Uzi. I'm fairly sure my knuckles were still bandaged from the last time I shot it when I traded it in. Not only did that gun punish my shoulder, it tore skin from my gorilla-like mitts every time I pulled the trigger. No matter what I tried, I could not get a grip on that rifle. If I kept it, I was going to find a larger lever for it - Marlin really should rethink the lever on that gun...
It was impressive, turned heads at the range and blew bowling pins and giant chunks of berm off the 50-yard lane, but it was just too much for an aging and previously battered shoulder....