When it comes to shotguns, many people wonder how long they actually last. There are different opinions and speculations of experts when it comes to this topic, but the basic thing is that the duration of a hunting rifle depends solely on its quality and maintenance. Of course, the price says a lot about the quality of the rifle itself.
The more expensive the rifle, the better the quality. However, this rule does not always apply. It is very important that you maintain your rifle based on the information you received from the dealer when you purchased the rifle.
Price tells it all. But the importance of safety comes first and in many cases it is not included in the price, no matter if you are using 5 inches of 12 gauge shotgun ammo.
We talked to some of our friends who are going to hunt often. They were happy to share some important tips and factors to consider when using a shotgun.
Opening and closing/loading and unloading the weapon
The weapon must be easy and simple to open and close. It should also be easy to load and unload, and it must be especially easy to make sure that the weapon is indeed empty.
It should also be noted here that most brakes on shotguns are of extremely poor construction compared to military weapons. In any case, never rely too much on the brakes.
Emptying the weapon
Another important thing regarding security is that before each loading of the weapon, especially when hunting, it is advisable to look through the barrel, and this is where classic shotguns have an undoubted advantage.
Simple emptying is especially important for safety reasons. Sometimes it is necessary to empty a hunting rifle several times. It might be enough for you to just move the brake lever, but we don’t know how much that will convince your fellow hunters that the weapon is really harmless.
However, many people want to see for themselves, which is the easiest demonstration to do with classic shotguns that are easy to break.
Transport
The rifle is not always in the hands during the hunt. It is sometimes carried on the shoulder for kilometers and a rifle that is not comfortable to carry is not the best hunting companion. In addition, each weapon should be easily disassembled and packed into a smaller case or suitcase for easier transport in a motor vehicle.
Few tips to bare in mind when hunting
As we said, we talked to professional hunters who gave us advices that are technical, but they didn’t stop there. They were happy to share their on field knowledge:
- Position yourself in such a way as to be able to engage the possible target from top to bottom;
- When shooting in the mountains, from the bottom up, it will try to engage targets that have a ridge behind them;
- When shooting in the bush, never fire unless you are sure that there is no one in front of you;
- Armored bullets of shotgun are easily subject to ricochet Therefore it is advisable to avoid shooting at short distances on rock faces or stony ground. If your hunting area is made up of similar natural scenarios, it would be good to choose more quantities with lead points, less inclination to the rebound, while those with monolithic balls are absolutely not recommended;
- When hunting in a wooded or shrub-covered environment, never shoot only if you see movement among the plants. It might be something other than an animal that provokes it. It’s a good safety practice to engage your target only when you can see it clearly.