He is the proud owner of a Mossberg 500. He wants to harvest a deer with his own gun. I understand that.
Kubota learned the fundamentals of deer hunting with a muzzle loader. He invariably handled it safely and with great respect. Too often, young hunters start out with a repeating shotgun. There are a couple of reasons why that is not a great idea. One is that shotguns firing slugs kick like a Missouri mule. Many young shooters develop a flinch that afflicts them their entire life.
The other downside is that young shooters with repeaters do not place appropriate value on the first shot. I venture that 85% of all deer I have seen harvested were killed with the first shot. Any subsequent shots are usually at the back end of a deer that is accelerating to Mach I. Our pet name for shots two-through-five are "F-U" shots. Out of deference to the gentle souls in my readership....that could mean "Follow Up" shots. For my earthier readers, it could mean a coarser verbal expression of frustration.
And pray tell, if shots two-through-five are not hitting the deer, where are they going? A hunter who knows that his first shot hit the boiler-room is far less likely to spray the landscape with F-U shots than a hunter who launched his first shot with less care.
Kubota has been talking to his Uncle Kubota. Uncle Kubota is a hardcore deer hunter and has firm convictions of what it will take to turn Kubota's bunny-blaster into a deer harvesting machine. Kubota was all ears.
 |
| Image from Armslist.com |
Yesterday I learned of Kubota's yearning for a rifled slug barrel with a cantilever scope mount. Last week, Kubota did not know that such things existed. I may have to find some money in my budget.
I can trust Uncle Kubota to lead young Kubota in the paths of righteousness. I can trust him to give Kubota ample eye relief and to torque all screws to spec. With a rifled slug barrel, young Kubota will have a tool that will last his entire life if he takes care of it.
Now if there was just something we could do with the trigger.
I have learned through life that triggers will always be different and sometimes be awful. You just have to learn to adapt to each one. Kubota has to practice. I have killed almost all of my MI deer with a shotgun, usually with 00 buckshot. only 1 time with a slug, forstner. Devastating. Hit in neck, down like hit in legs with 2x4.
ReplyDeleteAny trigger can be mastered, no mattered how awful. Many will get better with use, some with a little tlc. Judicially applied, youtube can be your friend or your worst nightmare. Often your best bet is just to learn to use what you have. Think 4 or 5 boxes of cheap number 6 or 7 shot and some cheap clay pigeons. It will smooth the action out some, followed by a good cleaning and a judicious lube, and you are ready for real target practice for hunting.
The biggest thing is to have fun with the gun. He will never wear it out. I will bet money on it. If he does, I would almost , not really, buy him a new one. They are built they good. They flat out last forever. A few new parts, and they go again.
Good luck. I have had to borrow my daughters .243 this year. It has a scope on it and my eyesight has gotten to the point where I just don't trust myself to not wound a deer. I would never forgive myself if I knowingly went out there without the confidence that I had in years past. I have not hunted in a long time. I have the itch for 4 or 5 years and so I am doing it again.