Neatly plowed farmlands in North Dakota encroach on seasonal prairie potholes, vital habitat for waterfowl and other wildlife. Pic from the National Wildlife Federation website.
By Chris Dorsey. Published www.SportingClassicsDaily.com, Jun 30, 2020.
Map of the Prairie Potholes focal area by Roy Hewitt, USFWS.
“When last September’s chilling news from Cornell University’s Laboratory of Ornithology hit press wires reporting a decline of some three billion birds across North America since the 1970s, there was one group in Chicago already making plans to raise awareness about the shocking problem and the little-known habitat that holds the key to continental bird populations.
“The prairie wetlands that stretch mostly from western Canada to North and South Dakota are as ecologically important to North America as the Amazon is to South America or the Serengeti is to Africa,” says Charles Potter, Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation President and CEO. “Yet few people know of this important and imperiled ecosystem. We’re going to change that.”…
Checkout efforts to save this amazing part of America by the Prairie Pothole Joint Ventureand watch these videos to see what Ducks Unlimited and Delta Waterfowl are doing to help it, too.
PARKER BHE TRAP VENT RIB 12 GAUGE: #207XXX #1 FRAME 32″ VENT RIB FULL AND FULL 2 3/4 SINGLE SELECT TRIGGER EJECTORS BEAVER TAIL FOREARM ENGLISH GRIP EXCELLENT ORIGINAL CONDITION WITH CASE COLORS 8LBS 7 OZ X 2 1/4 X 1 7/8 X 14 1/2. Price: $18,500
Winchester – Model 21 Duck, 12ga., 32″ barrels, Double Triggers: Full/Full choked, 3” chambers, Duck gun, capped pistol grip, 3-point checkering, checkered butt, very rare double triggers, ejectors, splinter forend, highly figured, superb, as new gun with long length of pull. 7lb. 7oz.. 14 3/8” LOP 1 ½” x 2 ¼”. Price: $8,250
Winchester – Model 21 Duck, 12ga., 32″ barrels, Double Triggers:Sidelock Belgian O/U Double Barrel Shotgun 12ga (pre-war)
Sidelock Belgian O/U Double Barrel Shotgun 12ga (pre-war): Fine Pre-War Self-Opener Sidelock Belgian O/U shotgun built in 1933. The gun is marked ‘SuperAuto’ H. Scherrer Patent. Barrels are marked ‘Fluid Compressed Steel’ with all appropiate proofs of that era including 12-70 for 2 3/4″ chambers. Barrels 27″ with solid rib, chokes Top-.004/Bot- .035, straight grip, 14″ lop to ck. butt, Doub. trig. non-auto safety, auto ejectors, Funeral Model finish with light border engraving. DAC 1 1/2″, DAH 2″, Cast neutral. Metal finish 90%++ with only light edge wear. This is a High Quality Sidelock Pre WWII O/U shotgun. Price: $4750
Westley Richards 12 gauge Side-by-Side Boxlock Shotgun: Factory 2 3/4″ chambers, s/n T 10993, heavy 1 1/4 oz. proof. Receiver: crossbolt, side clips, AUTOMATIC EJECTORS, double triggers, receiver retains most of original case colors (some light scratching through clear coating on right side that doesn’t cut into case colors), PROOFED FOR HEAVY LOADS (SEE PHOTOS OF WATER TABLE). Barrels: 28″ length, BORES EXCELLENT PLUS, choked Full & Improved Mod., swamped hand filed rib, blue has somewhat thinned over the years (gun has never been reblacked). Stock: English (straight) style, splinter forearm, buttstock has 14 1/4″ LOP over solid pad and spacer (see photos), DAC 1 3/4″, DAH 2 1/2″, twin Ivory beads, checkering is excellent on buttstock and forearm. Price:$5495
C. S. Rosson & Co., 12 gauge Side-by-Side, Boxlock Shotgun:
C. S. Rosson & Co., 12 gauge Side-by-Side, Boxlock Shotgun: Model Wildfowl Magnum, 12 GAUGE, 3″ CHAMBERS, s/n 3223. Receiver: double trigger, double underlocking lugs, crossbolt, side clips, extractors, not a droplock but a detachable bottom plate to access lock, retains traces of original case colors, blued detachable bottom plate. Barrels: 30″ length, choked Full & Improved Mod., EXCELLENT BORES, swamped and tapered hand filed rib, nice blue (if they have been reblacked it was a nice job), 3″ CHAMBERS, 3 1/2 TON PROOFED. Stock: no cracks, LOP 15″ over solid recoil pad, DAC 1 1/2″, DAH 2 1/2″, nice checkering on buttstock and forearm, Walnut, pleasing dark color. Cased in a nice canvas covered hard case. Price $3495
Early Ad for L.C. Smith’s Long Range Wildfowl Double Barrel Shotgun
The 1920s were big times for America, and for American firearms. Over those 10 years, a lot of things changed about both. For guns, two new products came onto and had a significant impact on the market.
The first new product was the Super-X shotgun shell. Introduced by the Western Cartridge Company, it was loaded with their new progressive powder. Super-X shotgun shells gave “…high velocity and longer range without high gas pressure plus “Short Shot String” and the maker told customers that the end result “…assures clean kills at distances almost unbelievable.”
Western Cartridge Company, 12g Super X shotgun ammunition
Next up was the Super-Fox shotgun, introduced by the the A.H. Fox Company. A.H. Fox created the first Super-Fox to test Western’s new shells. John Olin, Western’s founder, took delivery of this prototype in 1921. It was well received and in 1923 A.H. Fox made the Super-Fox a part of their line up. Soon it was hit with duck hunters, including the the legendary wing shooter Nash Buckingham.
To take advantage of the new Western ammo and compete with the Super Fox, L.C. Smith introduced the 12 Long Range Waterfowl shotguns in 1924. Available in 3″ and 2 3/4″ 12 gauge, and in all available grades, the L.C. Smith Long Range Wild Fowl guns was advertised as:
THE HARDEST HITTING GUN IN THE WORLD
“The L.C. Smith Long Range Wild Fowl Gun is built from our Regular model, and is designed to handle heavy charges of modern propellant powders, giving it an increased range of 15 to 25 yards, and extreme velocity and penetration with uniform patterns.”
Catalog Description of L.C. Smith’s Long Range Wildfowl Double Barrel Shotgun
L.C. Smith catalogs claimed that the Long Range Wild Fowls used “A distinctive L.C. Smith method of choking adds 15 to 20 yards to ordinary shotgun range…specially bored to a longer, tapering choke…” To handle heavy recoil, these guns also featured a a reinforced forend loop on the barrels.
L.C. Smith Long Range Wildfowl Double Barrel Shotgun
The last L.C. Smith Long Range Wild Fowl Gun was completed in 1942, and in all they made 2,631 of these guns. Right now, this nice one is on Gunbroker.com.
You can learn more about the L.C. Smith Long Range Wild Fowl Gun here.
L.C. Smith Long Range Wildfowl Double Barrel Shotgun
Early Ad for L.C. Smith’s Long Range Wildfowl Double Barrel Shotgun
Catalog Description of L.C. Smith’s Long Range Wildfowl Double Barrel Shotgun
Western Cartridge Company, 12g Super X shotgun ammunition
L.C. Smith Long Range Wildfowl Double Barrel Shotgun
L.C. Smith Long Range Wildfowl Double Barrel Shotgun
L.C. Smith Long Range Wildfowl Double Barrel Shotgun
