| Steve's Corner |
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GaugeMate goes to Rock Springs Ranch
On September 1, 2005 the dove hunting season opened in California. As it had for the past 11 years, the California Side by Side Society, Inc. held their “dove opener” at Rock Springs Ranch in Paicines, California.
The Society was founded by Roger Sanger of Monterey, California to “provide the environment and opportunity for members to participate in and enjoy the varied activities specifically related to the common interest in side-by-side guns and rifles.” The Society has four chapters and approximately 300 members. For more information go to www.casidebysidesociety.com.
Rock Springs Ranch & Lodge is an Orvis-endorsed 19,000 acre facility that features wing shooting as well as wild boar and deer hunting. It is located about 50 miles south of Hollister in California’s central coast area. With lodging space for 24 guests, a gourmet chef and a 5-Stand sporting clays range – it is clearly the premier hunting venue in California.
Rock Springs Ranch has some of the biggest bucks and ugliest wild boars in California. Below one of their full-time guides scouts for boar during a spring hunt. |
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Hunters who prefer side-by-side rifles or Drillings have found
that Rock Springs Ranch is an ideal place to hunt. |
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| When GaugeMate engineers were designing the Gold Series of “stay in the gun” adapters, the input of Side by Side Society members was crucial to insuring that those adapters were compatible with the short chambers usually encountered in British and Continental guns. GaugeMate appreciates the support of the Society’s President, Marshall Stevens, and all the other members who have provided invaluable advice and assistance. As a way of saying “thank you” – GaugeMate provided gifts for the winners of the “Quail Walk”, 5-Stand and Wobble Trap competitions that were held in conjunction with the dove hunting. |
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| From left to right: Jim Berkley won the 5-Stand match and received a 12-gauge leather belt designed to hold 49-rounds of ammunition. Rick Rothman won the Quail Walk competition and earned a set of GaugeMate-Silver adapters. Roger Sanger took the Wobble Trap match and received a set of GaugeMate-Gold adapters. |
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| Roger Sanger used his c. 1892 John Rigby & Co. 2 1/2" 12-bore hammer gun for the dove hunt. With his GaugeMate-Gold adapters, he used 20-gauge 2 3/4" ammunition in the 2 1/2" 12-bore chambers. |
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| Steve Helsley used a 16-gauge boxlock made by N. Lajot & H. Jonlet of Liege, Belgium c. 1914. Its 27 1/4" barrels are chambered for 2 1/2" cartridges. The chokes are IC and Full. |
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| At 5 pounds 13 ounces, the gun is ideal for use with GaugeMate-Gold 16 to 28 adapters. Lajot and Jonlet were located at 38 Rue des Bayards in Liege from 1906 until 1925 and generally made higher grade guns. |
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| The 2 3/4" 28-gauge Winchester AA ammunition patterned beautifully from the 16-gauge barrels. Steve "limited-out" and dropped some of the birds at well beyond 30-yards. |
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We thank Ken and Nola Range who manage Rock Springs Ranch for allowing us to participate in what was, by all accounts, a marvelous event. We also thank the many doves that made the fatal mistake of getting in front of guns equipped with our adapters.
NOTE: Since this was written, Rock Springs Ranch has been sold, and is no longer a wing shooting facility. |
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