Dave McCracken
Moderator In Memoriam
I hit PGC this Morn a bit late to shoot with the Geezer Squad, but still got in a few rounds of trap capped with one of Wobble.
As I got ready for the first round, my eye was caught by a very nice looking O/U toted by a frail looking gent. His name is Dan Gomez, and he's recovering from a serious illness. Just getting back into shooting.
He's quite the collector, but this Kemen is one of his favorites.
Kemens are made in Spain in the Basque locales. An old area of arms making,the Basques have been making fine weaponry since the Gladius Hispanicus with its pattern welded blade was state of the art in Armas Militas.
This one was gorgeous, and had 34" barrels. Being a generous guy, Dan let me fire off a couple light loads. The thing didn't swing like most 8 lb guns, but I busted both birds nicely. It felt like a nice SxS game gun, and served Dan for SC and Live Pigeon shoots. I acquired a case of the covets in microseconds.
I'm impressed. I had seen some stuff on these in diverse gun rags, but chalked the raves up to hyperbole and ad sales. Digweed used one to win the World Championship.
Then the subject turned to ammo, and Dan had me try a few Vintager loads he had brought. 7/8 oz of 7.5 shot, and they turned clays into tiny fragments when Frankenstein spoke.Negligible kick.
These are short shells, made for older and Euro styled shotguns, the 65mm ones oft turning up here on bringbacks and old guns like early A-5s, 97s, and that old double or single in the closet that was Great Uncle Zeb's pride and joy.
They're made by Polywad, who I just called. The short shells are low pressure but standard velocity and made here in the US. They are available in shot sizes 6, 7.5 and 8. 16 gauge fodder is also available.
These short loads have great utility to new shooters as well as old shotguns. With enough moxie for dramatic breaks but miniscule kick, they seem perfect for the first few lessons.
Also available are spreader loads in the same cases. These use a post style wad and supposedly can double the spread at 20 yards. Good for close shots at SC and Skeet, and quite usable for getting better spreads from the older fixed choke guns we still have.
Components are sold separately for us reloaders.
I made up some spreaders last year using data and ideas from Lenard Lemke. They worked, but were a real pain to assemble.
The ammo is a bit pricey compared to say, Valupacks. The standard loadings are $75 for a bulk pack flat of 250 shells, $5-10 for shipping. Add $10 for the spreaders. However, a flat would provide not only 250 shots, but 250 once fired short cases for those of us needing them.
POLYWAD.COM is the link.
As I got ready for the first round, my eye was caught by a very nice looking O/U toted by a frail looking gent. His name is Dan Gomez, and he's recovering from a serious illness. Just getting back into shooting.
He's quite the collector, but this Kemen is one of his favorites.
Kemens are made in Spain in the Basque locales. An old area of arms making,the Basques have been making fine weaponry since the Gladius Hispanicus with its pattern welded blade was state of the art in Armas Militas.
This one was gorgeous, and had 34" barrels. Being a generous guy, Dan let me fire off a couple light loads. The thing didn't swing like most 8 lb guns, but I busted both birds nicely. It felt like a nice SxS game gun, and served Dan for SC and Live Pigeon shoots. I acquired a case of the covets in microseconds.
I'm impressed. I had seen some stuff on these in diverse gun rags, but chalked the raves up to hyperbole and ad sales. Digweed used one to win the World Championship.
Then the subject turned to ammo, and Dan had me try a few Vintager loads he had brought. 7/8 oz of 7.5 shot, and they turned clays into tiny fragments when Frankenstein spoke.Negligible kick.
These are short shells, made for older and Euro styled shotguns, the 65mm ones oft turning up here on bringbacks and old guns like early A-5s, 97s, and that old double or single in the closet that was Great Uncle Zeb's pride and joy.
They're made by Polywad, who I just called. The short shells are low pressure but standard velocity and made here in the US. They are available in shot sizes 6, 7.5 and 8. 16 gauge fodder is also available.
These short loads have great utility to new shooters as well as old shotguns. With enough moxie for dramatic breaks but miniscule kick, they seem perfect for the first few lessons.
Also available are spreader loads in the same cases. These use a post style wad and supposedly can double the spread at 20 yards. Good for close shots at SC and Skeet, and quite usable for getting better spreads from the older fixed choke guns we still have.
Components are sold separately for us reloaders.
I made up some spreaders last year using data and ideas from Lenard Lemke. They worked, but were a real pain to assemble.
The ammo is a bit pricey compared to say, Valupacks. The standard loadings are $75 for a bulk pack flat of 250 shells, $5-10 for shipping. Add $10 for the spreaders. However, a flat would provide not only 250 shots, but 250 once fired short cases for those of us needing them.
POLYWAD.COM is the link.
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