My favorite grouse gun is this SKB 400E in 12 gauge. With 26 in. barrels and a straight grip, it weighs in at 6 lbs. 11 oz. It is equipped with choke tubes and I run it SK / IC all season. It has a tang safety and like my other SKB's, the barrel selector is incorporated into the trigger. My partner Michael mentioned last week that he has had a few occasions when the safety / selector on his Citori would not slide forward because it was in the center and not on either barrel. The SKB safety and selector are entirely seperate.
It's a box lock with nicely engraved sideplates and reciever. The beavertail forend is actually fairly sleek. Not squared and blocky like some I've seen. Most important is this gun hits where I look. If I properly focus on the leading edge of a flying grouse and get my thought process ahead of the bird where it should be, we have grouse and dumplin's. I only fired at 9 birds this past season and 8 went in the game bag. I will never part with this shotgun. It is not for sale and never will be. DWT
Beautiful shotgun, Dan!
ReplyDeleteI've never seen a Model 400. I passed on a $80 20 ga. a few years back and still kicking myself. But, I've got a 20 ga. 280 that fills the bill.
Love that 400!
When the New SKB Co. took over for Ernie Simmons, they found 500 of these barrels and recievers in the warehouse. Stocked them up and I got #444. I wanted a 20 ga. too but it only came with a 25 in. barrel and I personally prefer a longer barrel. The 280 is a classic grouse gun. Hang on to that one. The old Ithica / SKB's are super guns for the money.
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