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Winter of '43, Somewhere in England

David Shepherd: Before Elephants, There Were Aircraft

David Shepherd’s is a well-rehearsed life in its telling. The same tales oft repeated and…
Horse Surprised by a Lion, ca. 1850

Barye Bronzes to Visit the NSL&M in Middleburg, Virginia

by Brooke Chilvers I wish I could say the larger-than-life lions in front of Manhattan’s…
Stevens-Pope in three volumes, by Warren Greatbatch and Tom Rowe. The books are massive, the photography wonderful, and the information enough to satisfy the most voracious lover of single-shot rifles.

Big Books. Big Big Books.

Some years ago, at a cocktail party connected with one of the big gun shows,…
The Dakota Traveler, in .300 H&H Magnum, built by Tony Galazan’s Connecticut Shotgun Manufacturing Company. The mounts are Talleys, the scope is a Meopta MeoSport R3-15x50 RD SFP.

Dakota Redux — We Hope

Dakota Arms, of fond and fragrant memory, could stand as an object lesson to all…
It will horrify Wieland’s side-by-side loving friends, but he’s come to the conclusion that if he ever has to limit himself to one shotgun, it will be the Blaser F3—with its eight sets of barrels, three buttstocks, and two forends. Which is hardly just one gun, is it?

Rainy Sunday in March

As I write, Skeet season is upon us—that is, the two months in which the…
We were accompanied by an excellent photographer who declined a credit. Our scout, Hunter, loading the dogs in the ancient mule wagon.

Sweet Georgia Brown

It ain’t summertime, and the livin’ ain’t particularly easy, but if you’re a quail hunter,…
Original B&P Competition One shotshells, awarded a “Gray’s Best” in 2010, and still available today (if you can find some).

Baschieri & Pellagri Update

Long-time Gray’s readers will be aware of my affection for Baschieri & Pellagri (B&P) shotshells,…
Two Greyhounds and a Mastiff belonging to the Duke of Hamilton, Sawrey Gilpin
Two Greyhounds and a Mastiff belonging to the Duke of Hamilton, Sawrey Gilpin

Stubbs & Gilpin – This Time, on Dogs

Thank goodness so many 18th century portraits of beloved thoroughbreds and hunting dogs are adequately…
Among the rifles that would be banned under the latest proposal is the inoffensive Ruger No. 1 single-shot. Why? Because it can “readily” be rebarreled to the entirely too powerful .460 Weatherby. This is, of course, hogwash.

Politics and the Art of the Ludicrous

The other day, I took the car in for a new windshield.  The shop was…
Gulliver Addressing the Houyhnhnms

Sawrey Gilpin

It’s likely you have a greater inkling of British equine horse artist George Stubbs (1724–1806)…
Stevens Model 52, built on the older No. 44 action, with the newer Model 45. Both are chambered in the .28-30-120. It’s a lovely cartridge to shoot, but presents many problems in reloading.

New Year, New Rifle

About a year ago, a friend of mine handed me a brand-new, unopened, bag of…
Wieland hunting Cape buffalo in the rain on Mount Burko, in the Great Rift Valley of Tanzania. When you are clinging to a cliff by your toenails, having a binocular that is not bouncing around is a great boon.

Combos. Again

For the last ten years or so, my range bag has permanently carried, tucked into…