This post started to be about...

My Berreta 20 gage semi-auto shotgun, which comes home from the gunshop tomorrow. Funny how you can't separate the history of a fire arm from the simple fact that it's fixed and back in action.

I was 12 or so when my Dad gave it to me for my birthday, or was it christmas, I forget.

My uncle owned the same gun. He is the kind of guy that will take a 410 and hit 24 out of 25 clay pigeons shooting trap, turn around and tell you that was so good it was scary. He backed me while I was shooting his Berreta, with his single shot 410, when I missed he powdered it.

We'd been down at his house in Alvin Texas shooting trap in his backyard. The cows in the field beyond the barbwire fence were pretty good about moving yonder after the first shot. We had a great time shooting his 20 gage Berreta that day. It was light, and would rip off three shots in no time flat. I did pretty well, not having shot trap before. I've not yet had the black eye from a scope on a rifle, but I did manage to plant my sweaty cheek againt the stock that day and felt like the side of my face had been removed.

My uncle chuckled.

I suspect my uncle suggested to my dad he should get me one. I believe that shotgun cost about $250 in 1972,

I've had that shotgun 40 years now. Somewhere along the line, the bolt quit locking on the Berreta and it was resigned to the closet. I'd graduated to a 12 gage goose gun with a 42" barrel, hunted geese in 18 degree weather, gone off to College Station to college, married once, divorced, married again, two children, divorced again, and then I found the Lovely Southern Belle.

As you've noticed, she's gotten a bee in her bonnet (or a bullet up her...er, nevermind) to start shooting again. So she up and decides she going to take the Tokorev svt40 she inherited from her Dad, to the gun shop to have it checked out. So, I figured as long as she was going, the Berreta should go too. Day before yesterday, the guy at Jim Pruitt's gun shop called to let her know they were ready. He seemed genuinely pleased to report that they both fire reeeal nice. Southern Belle was salivating tonight over the thought of shooting my Berreta. I've seen that look in her eyes before. I made it quite clear that the 20 gage is still mine. I've had a few things that have graduated from my possession to hers.

I'll take an aside here to gloat, if you can ever find a woman that will fish with you, play video games with you, watch sports (actually she likes watching baseball more than I do) and likes guns, You had better buy the biggest diamond ring you can find. Eat your hearts out.

So, anyway, She's going by Pruitt's tomorrow to pick up the hardware. No snarky comments, she works 10 minutes from the house, Pruitt's is maybe 15 minutes, I work 26 miles down the worst freeway in the Houston metroplex. A good day is a 1hour commute one way.

We are going trap shooting soon!