The thoughtful reader will be struck immediately by the nonsensical nature of the very question: “How long does a gun last?”.
Clearly, a gun stored properly from new will last forever and a day, while a gun left propped against a shed in the elements will rust to ruination in a few months.
We need to be more careful with our definitions of longevity and robustness. We also need to be careful to define what kind of gun we are talking about if any kind of useful answer is to emerge from our deliberations.
Why, even, is the question a useful one to pose? I would offer the following rationales: if you own a gun, how much can you expect to use it before it breaks down or becomes unreliable or damaged?
Equally, if you are planning to buy a gun, what can you learn about the life expectation of each option compared with the purchase cost?
If you are considering a gun for a particular use, what life expectancy can you look forward to based on how much you plan to use it? All these are real, practical questions you might find yourself faced with.
You may have inherited an old English gun and wonder how it will stand up to normal use. If the gun is already badly worn or repaired, obviously its future will be accordingly truncated. So let us consider what such a gun can do from new.
W. W. Greener famously experimented with his actions to demonstrate their strength. In 1878 he reported Dr W. F. Carver firing more than 40,000 shots over 200 consecutive days, then over another two years for a total of 130,000 shots. The gun was still in good order when examined.
Denne historien er fra February 12, 2020-utgaven av Shooting Times & Country.
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Denne historien er fra February 12, 2020-utgaven av Shooting Times & Country.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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United we stand
Following United Utilities' decision to end grouse shooting on its land, Lindsay Waddell asks what will happen if we ignore our vital moors
Serious matters
An old gamebook prompts a contemplation on punt-gunning
They're not always as easy as they seem
While coneys of the furry variety don't pose a problem for Blue Zulu, he's left frustrated once again by bolting bunnies of the clay sort
Debutant gundogs
There's lots to think about when it comes to making the decision about when to introduce your dog to shooting
When the going gets rough
Al Gabriel returns to the West London Shooting School to brush up on his rough shooting technique
The Field Guide To British Deer - BDS 60th Anniversary Edition
In this excerpt from the 60th anniversary edition of the BDS's Field Guide To British Deer, Charles Smith-Jones considers the noise they make
A step too far?
Simon Garnham wonders whether a new dog, a new gun and two different fields in need of protection might have been asking too much for one afternoon's work
Two bucks before breakfast
A journey from old South London to rural Hertfordshire to stalk muntjac suggests that the two aren't as far detached as they might seem
Stalking Diary
Stalkers can be a sentimental bunch, and they often carry a huge attachment to their hill
Gamekeeper
Alan Edwards believes unique, private experiences can help keepers become more competent and passionate custodians of the countryside