-=> Quoting Cloyce Osborn to Steve Gunhouse on 06-05-96  17:34 <=-
 SG>  Re: Dusters?
 SG> OTOH, I think I could fit my 20"-barreled Defender under my duster as it
 SG> is. (A duster is sort of the cowboy equivalent of a trench coat, for the
 SG> culturally challenged.) 
 CO> Kinda like a 'slicker', right?  Maybe like the one I've got behind the
 CO> seat on my pickup and the one in the trunk of my ex-wife's car?  We
 CO> won't talk about whatever artillery you might find there, we're just
 CO> discussing slickers/dusters, right?
 SG> I've seen the term "slicker" applied to other coats, so I'm not certain.
 SG> A duster is knee-length and features sort of a short cape. It is also
 SG> split in the back (for riding presumably), and has a flap on the front 
o
 SG> cover the buttons (to keep the dust out). A good one is typically made 
f
 SG> oilcloth - so it's also good in rain. Mine's more of a modern 
quivalent,
 SG> with snaps instead of buttons.
We're talking about the same thing (I think).  Mine are a little longer than 
knee length, coming down nearly to the ankles.  I use them as raincoats.
 SG> A "coach gun", such as the IGA or others we use in the cowboy shoots
 SG> here, would be easier. A double is naturally about 4-6" shorter than a
 SG> pump or semi-auto with the same barrel length, due to the action being
 SG> shorter. I just laid a 28"-barreled side-by-bide next to a pump of the
 SG> same barrel length, and the difference was 4" in overall length.
 CO> True but, when I went to set up my home protective battery, the only
 CO> double I had was a Holland and Holland.  A voice in  the back of my head
 CO> murmured "you even think about it, boy, and I'll make sure you never
 CO> think about anything again."  I respectfully put the H&H back in its
 CO> case then went and found a model 1897 Winchester which I amputated to
 CO> 20 inches.  A few years later, I located a Mossburg 12 gauge to which I
 CO> applied similar appropriate surgery. Just a couple of years ago I came
 CO> across another model 1897 which had been fired with its barrel plugged
 CO> with mud.  Only took a couple of minutes to fix that.
 SG> We also use 1897s in the cowboy shoots, if you can find them. 
ersonally,
 SG> I don't believe in "amputating" guns - especially as you can but a
 SG> Mossberg "Persuader" or Winchester "Defender" which comes with an 18.5 
o
 SG> 20 inch barrel and holds 7-8 rounds. Simple surgery on an 1897 won't do
 SG> that. ;-)
I just pulled out one of my 97's and it will hold six 2 3/4 inch shells in 
the magazine.  add one in the chamber and you've got a total of seven.  If 
you need more than seven rounds, call Vern and ask for a battalion fire 
mission! :-)
I've looked at both the Persuader and the Defenders.  Was not impressed, I'll 
stick to my 1897's, thank you.  Amputating guns is no big deal, especially if 
the gun has already been severely abused, as, for example, being fired with 
mud in the muzzle.
 SG> I've mentioned it before, out here we have something refered to as a car
 SG> gun. Anyone can legally carry a longarm in their car any time - except
 SG> of course on military bases and such. Naturally, in that case the 
horter
 SG> the better. The Defender would be a good car gun, but a coach gun might
 SG> be even better. Plus of course the psychological effect of looking down
 SG> "both barrels". (But my car gun is usually either a 9mm Camp Carbine or 

 SG> .44 model 94, no particular reason.)
There's no doubt about the psychological effect of a side by side double.  
Nothing like looking down two pieces of drill pipe to take the fight out of a 
man.
As far as a "car gun", it kinda depends upon where you are.  In Oklahoma, for 
instance, you can't carry anything that's magazine or chamber loaded.  That's 
why so many folks have started carrying loaded magazines in our pockets.
 SG> My own doubles are a Damascus-barreled Baker and a Fox model B, and I
 SG> have no inclination to cut either at this point.
And I don't blame you a bit.
Regards.  Cloyce.
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