The 'barn gun'.

[jeager106]

I live on 14 acres of woods, no real close neighbors, so shooing 'out back' is a non issue and I have a 75 yard range.
Seems while doing outside chores there is always a 'target of opportunity' presenting itslf.
In season I have rabbits and squirrels, then the pesky crow, and the always present nasty feral cats people from towns keep dumping on me.
So I decided I needed a barn gun to keep in the garage or tool shed. A 12 bore would do nicley, single shot is fine and inexpensive, 2 3/4" chamber still takes any shot load up to 1 5/8 oz and also slugs.
Easy right? Nope.
Decent used single shot 12's cost more than new ones and I wanted CHEAP. As cheap as possible. The really cheap ones were so old and worn they were unsafe to shoot.
Then one day I visited a Dunhams sporting goods store.
Lo and behold what did I spy?
A single shot, break action, short chamber, ouside hammer, 30" full, made in China for............are ya ready?? $49.95 brand new in the box!
Made by Jing An and imported by CAI, whatever that is and under 50 bucks!
Yey, I know, I hate Chinese goods also and find them to be JUNK.
HOWEVER this'n ain't.
Did a little research by means of my engineer buddy in South Afrcia with a ton of international contacts.
Seems Chinese gun steel is on par with anyone elses of late and in some cases better than some of the Spanish junk seen in imported muzzle loaders.
The wood however is dismal. Soft, and PAINTED brown, but hey, this is a 50 buck BARN GUN and hanging in my shed with a 12 gauge belt of 25 assorted loads handy.
So did I waist time patterning the thing?
Sure did!
A sparrow couldn't get through a 1 1/8 oz. of 7.5's at 40 and with cheap Wally world 1 0z. 6's it'll not blow rabbits in thick cover to mince meat.
The cheap 'promo' chain store ammo is great for 'spreader' loads in the 12 bore 1 oz #6's as the shot is pretty soft and it spreads nicely.
My buffered 1 1/4 oz of copper plated 5's is awesome at 30 paces and would put 15 pellets t least in a tree rat.
Chinese or not I LOVE this thing.
It's a versitile tool, handy and ready to go, easy to clean and effective.
I orta go get 'nuther one, shorten the tube to 24", install sights and shoot slugs....ah nuts not another project!
Listen. I have some NICE guns, some costing over a grand each so I'm no cheapskate, frugal however is another story.

[IntrepidWizard]

I too have a "Barn" gun wrapped to avoid the elements and dust,paid $16 for it new some 35 +years ago,a 12 ga 3" Topper Long Tom,very tight choke long barrel and it is devastating up to 40 yards with about any shot ,with 4 buck or 00 it is bad to 50-60 yds.

[jeager106]

Too bad we often ignore the versitility of the single shot scatter gun. The break open action allows very fast change of ammo if needed, and the thing reloads much faster than people might think. Not as fast as a pump or semi atuo, but quick enough for a follow up shot on birds 'n bunnies.
Years ago when I was running beagles for rabbits the BEST brush gun I owned was my Dads 'barn gun'. It too was a break open single cut down to 18.5", a Stevens I think.
At that time the cheapo 'promo' loads were 1 1/8 oz. 6's and that old gun and that load accounted for a slew of bunnies and even with no choke the easy to kill rabbits would roll with a well placed shot out to 30 yards,
The AVERAGE shot was under 20 with dogs in the briar patches and that's where this old clunker excelled.
I quit using 7.5 shot as it put way too many pellets in my dinner. 1 or 1 1/8th oz. 6's are fine, even 5's or 4's work at briar patch ranges without filling the rabbit with lead.
Salute to the old single shot. She's a versitile tool indeed.