Some days you get humbled:(

[atchman2]

I was shooting with lots of friends today.  I don't own any powder burners besides my 9mm pistol which was given to me.  While I was able to be respectable with the air guns (my Whisper was dead on!), they just don't have it when it comes to a side wind.  

In my mil dot scope I was having to aim 2 mils high and one to the right to compensate for distance.  Though it was very challenging, I was the only one to hit the 60 meter target in the center!  On the other hand, I felt if I had a powder gun, I would have plunked it dead center every time.  

Maybe I need to give up the springers and go to the "dark side".  We had a lot of fun regardless.  My shoulder is still a hurting from shooting a 3.5" magnum slug gun!  That thing is as bad as a 40 mike mike grenade launcher!  I followed that up with a Moison Nagant for another six rounds and my shoulder is hurting like heck!  

One neat thing is I shot a bunch of rounds from my Grandad's 20 gauge.  It is a Remington 1148 with the the howitzer barrel.  It makes a lot of noise as the entire barrel recoils as it shoots.  It was the first semi-automatic shotgun I'd ever shot.  I've taken a BUNCH of squirrels with it and a lot of Pheasants when I lived in Kansas with it.  

I may give it back to my brother to keep.  His son is the only "real" Atchley boy.  I'd like to see it passed down to another generation.  After all I can afford to buy a new shotgun and pass it on to my son Moses (who while is an Atchley boy, he is an adopted Atchley boy).  

[Meann-Machine]

Then Moses is just as "real" as you nephew. And his son, or daughter will be your grandchildren, if they aren't already and they will be "real" too. While there is no one adopted in my family, my mother died before my children were ever born and my dad remarried. His wife, while not my mother, is absolutely my daughters' "real" grandmother. I could go on but I hope my point is made.

In response to the rest of your post, the shooting sounds like fun but I wouldn't give up one for the other (air for fire or visa-versa).

[atchman2]

Oh I know Moses is a "real" Atchley.    We've had him since he was one and he is nearly six.  We adopted him and his sister.

You are right though, I should hold it and give it to him.  He'll appreciate it as I fully intend to raise him as an outdoorsman.  

As far as air for fire, I want a powder burner for coyote hunting.  The one thing I DO know is if I had one I can smoke these roody poots shooting.  I've never seen spreads like some of them shoot!  They may as well stick to shotguns

[RedFeather]

Both of my kids are adopted. Raising them since they were babies is about as "real" as it gets. They will inherit all of our possessions once we are gone and share equally with their cousins when it comes to the grandparents. Family is family. We make absolutely no distinction between birth kids and adopted People used to ask me "Are they really brother and sister?" I would tell them, just ride a few miles with those two in the backseat and you tell me.  

[geewhiz380]

hehehe it true once u spend time with children u will know quickly ,i always wanted and still want to adopt a child for they r in need of help and i love helping especiaaly children that people make go through alot so my hats r off to u fine gentlemen for adopting children and u r right it doesnt matter if they r biologicaly yours or not its the love and care u have and give them .....jorge lopez God bless your hearts

[airiscool]

"..........3.5" magnum slug gun! That thing is as bad as a 40 mike mike grenade launcher! .........."

Having shot both, I think I'd prefer the M-79.   A bit more down-range performance for the amount of pain recieved.

Paul

[Mryan21]

I think a 3.5 inch slug gun is a bad joke. All i gotta say is ouch...I sitck with 2 3/4 inch now. I  shot a turkey last year with a 3 1/2" load, took me ten minutes to peel my arm from the tree.

[Wingman115]

I also hunt squirrels with my Marlin 60 she's a sweet little .22 rimfire  I put a 3X9 Centerpoint mil dot scope on it and made a range card.. Poor squirrels don't stand a chance out to 130 yrs... Lot's of fun and cheap to shoot.

[airiscool]

Matt,
 Agreed!

Tried one 3-1/2 inch 2 oz of copper plated #4 turkey load during a long range  shoot-off from 50 yards behind the trap house.

Missed the bird, but I did empty the club house as everyone inside came out to see what  blew up. The other shooters  standing behind me didn't know what shell I'd slipped in the gun. Even with their shooting muffs on, all had their mouths open, and their eyes bugging out when I turned around looking to see where my very tight fitting ear muffs and hat had gone. Both had landed about 6 feet behind me.  

Afterwards, I thought, ok that wasn't too bad - but the next day my right arm was just about useless.
 
When my arm got better, I opened up the rest of the 3-1/2's and used the  pellets to make 3/4 oz. 20 ga squirrel loads. That way only the Squirrels had to worry.

Paul

[airiscool]

Randy,
The 11-48 is a reliable gun. Hang onto it, keep it clean, and it will give many years of service hunting that both you and your boy will enjoy.

Get the powder burner !!!! With heavy-for-caliber rounds in the .223 at 60 yards, you'd have hit center in a huricane.

Paul.

[atchman2]

RedFeather - 3/8/2010  8:50 AM

Both of my kids are adopted.  Raising them since they were babies is about as "real" as it gets.  They will inherit all of our possessions once we are gone and share equally with their cousins when it comes to the grandparents.  Family is family.  We make absolutely no distinction between birth kids and adopted  People used to ask me "Are they really brother and sister?"  I would tell them, just ride a few miles with those two in the backseat and you tell me.  

That is a FACT!  My family is kinda strange.  We have four children.  They were born in three different decades to three different mothers, and three different fathers!  My wife Leah and I were only able to have one child.  My 25 year old is from my first marriage, and Moses and Miriam are both adopted.  We've had Miriam from a baby.  Moses is her half brother.  We got him away from his crack addict mother and the state of TN gave him to us!  

Moses' sperm donor died recently from a massive drug overdose as did his birth uncle.  Mo and Miriram are good kids that would have grown up in a horrible environment.  Truly God blessed us and them at the same time!  

What was a true miracle was that my wife and I prayed for more children. When she had to have a hysterectomy we figured the answer from Him was "no".  All of the sudden we had a foster child, two adopted children, AND a grandchild!  Then we prayed that he would STOP sending us children.