Is gunlopnik still a thing?

[azw123]

I picked up an anniversary edition Ruger Red Label 12ga over-under from a buddy's gun shop recently. A good friend has the 20ga version and I always loved shooting it, so when this showed up I snagged it.

This model is a 50th anniversary, built in 1999. One of 1500, from what little info I can find. It came with two skeet chokes, a Mod, and an IM. The anniversary models featured engraved receivers with gold ducks:

I got it for a fair price and it seems like a great all around field gun. Apparently Ruger re-issued the Red Label in 2014 and the new models were met with very lukewarm reviews. Here's a photo out at the local trap range which, weirdly, is one of the largest trap and skeet clubs in the country:

Red Labels. 12ga on the left, 20ga on the right:

[jminer]

That is a beautiful firearm! I’ve been tempted to buy an over under for a decade but my 20 ga 1100 shoots trap so well I just haven’t been able to convince myself to buy one. The gas action on the 1100 just soaks up recoil like it’s nobody’s business so I can shoot like 5 or 6 rounds before I’m sore as hell.

Also yes - gunlopnik still very welcome here.

[Rusty Vandura]

Nope.

[Rusty Vandura]

@azw123 This was my step grandfather's shotgun. I love how the grip is darkened by the oil and sweat of his hand carrying this gun. Lived in Virginia, he did. I only met him once or twice.

[ForSweden]

@azw123 The factory engraving isn't horrible?

what wizardry is this

[MybirdIStheword]

@azw123 gunlopnik is still on, cept nothing to report due to the price of ammo.

Uhh... Thinking of moving the red dot off the magnum and on the AK since i finally got a rail for it.... Maybe get a magnifier with christmas money.... Thats about it.

[ForSweden]

@rusty-vandura English scroll gang 󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

EDIT: Apparently the England Flag emoji in Chrome is a black banner. Anarchy in the UK?

[azw123]

@forsweden said in Is gunlopnik still a thing?:

@azw123 The factory engraving isn't horrible?

what wizardry is this

Right? There was also an extremely limited run of Ducks Unlimited 50th anniversary Red Labels and those guns were very intricately hand engraved. They're worth a bit more than mine...

[azw123]

@mybirdistheword said in Is gunlopnik still a thing?:

@azw123 gunlopnik is still on, cept nothing to report due to the price of ammo.

Uhh... Thinking of moving the red dot off the magnum and on the AK since i finally got a rail for it.... Maybe get a magnifier with christmas money.... Thats about it.

Yep. Cheap shotgun ammo is still sort of cheap, so I've really just been shooting the over under lately.

I recently put an Eotech 512 holographic on my AR. Quite a neat little thing.

[azw123]

@rusty-vandura Sweet! Is that an M60D? Bet that's a trip to shoot.

Also, that side-by-side is gorgeous. An heirloom gun, for sure.

[Rusty Vandura]

@azw123 Definitely heirloom. I fired a couple of hundred-round belts through that M60.

[CoolMinivan.......Nobody]

@azw123 I don't have pics of it, but I have a Remington SPR210 20 ga side by side like this:

Trap, Skeet, Sporting Clays, Bird hunting it's my do all gun.
I used to shoot over/unders, but being right handed/left eye dominant made it difficult. Tried a friend's side by side on a whim and fell in love, so I snagged one for myself.

[BicycleBuck]

@mybirdistheword said in Is gunlopnik still a thing?:

@azw123 gunlopnik is still on, cept nothing to report due to the price of ammo.

You speak the truth! Well, if you can even find ammo! I have an opportunity to go deer hunting later this month, but I can't find and slugs for my shotgun. I may have to just use buckshot.

[Vondon302]

@azw123 That's very nice.
Man it's been ages since I shot some skeet.

[ibRAD]

@bicyclebuck said in Is gunlopnik still a thing?:

I have an opportunity to go deer hunting later this month, but I can't find and slugs for my shotgun. I may have to just use buckshot.

Sounds like a good excuse for a new rifle! (if they are allowed in your area)

[MybirdIStheword]

@bicyclebuck said in Is gunlopnik still a thing?:

@mybirdistheword said in Is gunlopnik still a thing?:

@azw123 gunlopnik is still on, cept nothing to report due to the price of ammo.

You speak the truth! Well, if you can even find ammo! I have an opportunity to go deer hunting later this month, but I can't find and slugs for my shotgun. I may have to just use buckshot.

time to man up

[Bandit]

Nope we dont do Gunlopnik anymore lol https://opposite-lock.com/topic/320/a-comparison-of-german-and-italian-industrial-revolution-era-engineering-and-machining?_=1607004649555

That is a beautiful shotgun, makes my beater over/under from my days on my university's skeet club look like it was from the walmart bargain bin. The engraving is fantastic and I love the gold bird inlay!

[BicycleBuck]

@ibrad said in Is gunlopnik still a thing?:

@bicyclebuck said in Is gunlopnik still a thing?:

I have an opportunity to go deer hunting later this month, but I can't find and slugs for my shotgun. I may have to just use buckshot.

Sounds like a good excuse for a new rifle! (if they are allowed in your area)

If I were more of a sportsman, I'd probably consider it. I have my grandfather's Wingmaster that he bought new back in '68. I also have a Mossberg home defense that was my mom's (yeah, she was a badass) that has a short barrel and telescoping stock. It kicks like a mule and isn't a lot of fun to shoot. If I'm going to spend money, I'd probably get an heirloom-quality side-by-side shotgun. I really enjoy a good double-barrel.

[HoustonRunner]

@azw123 Very nice. I did a bit of bird hunting over Thanksgiving (quail, pheasant, chukar) with my Beretta A391. Gun was great as always, my shooting was crap. I need to get out to a range more often.

[benn454]

That's a beauty.

[RamblinRover]

@azw123 I recently got a Stevens 555E O/U that I'm pretty pleased with. So topic question: "yes".

[BicycleBuck]

@mybirdistheword A Brick?!? Nah...

[JeepOfTheseus]

@azw123 Long live gunlopnik! It’s the damn truth about ammo. I slowly acquired all of the parts for my AR build this year that I just completed. Optics actually come today so it’s not entirely complete. I’m not holding my breath for reasonably priced ammo for a while.

That’s a beauty of an over under though, congrats!

[BicycleBuck]

@rusty-vandura said in Is gunlopnik still a thing?:

@azw123 This was my step grandfather's shotgun. I love how the grip is darkened by the oil and sweat of his hand carrying this gun. Lived in Virginia, he did. I only met him once or twice.

That's a beauty! These days it seems like something with that much scrollwork would be admired and not used.

[ibRAD]

@mybirdistheword said in Is gunlopnik still a thing?:

gunlopnik is still on, cept nothing to report due to the price of ammo.

I actually found a bunch of ammunition hidden in one of my basement walls recently. Previously I had discovered a secret gun cabinet (empty, unfortunately) and then had a hunch and started looking around and found a pretty good stash of ammunition. Also unfortunately- it's all oddball stuff and I don't have the right guns, or even know anyone that does.