26 Nebraskaland • July 2020
right and the process is right.
Another thing that got me going is if you go to the local gun
store – there are guys that do hunt and shoot, but 99 percent
of the time, they're often the same guys who would've sold
you golf clubs during the summer. It makes no sense to buy a
$2,000-$3,000 rig from someone who has no clue which end
of the gun they're supposed to hold. That is a problem.
Seventeen percent of the country is also left-handed and
is overlooked by the shooting industry. Manufacturers are
trying to be better about it, but they really don't want to
make left-handed guns. Honestly, manufacturers don't want
to make super accurate guns. If they made them too accurate,
then you wouldn't buy as many shells.
What mistakes do people make when they purchase a
shotgun?
SR: The biggest mistake is fi t. If it doesn't fi t, it doesn't hit.
If the gun isn't looking where you are looking, I don't care
how expensive or new that model is.
I had a guy come in with a $22,000 Krieghoff , and he said,
"I gotta get this fi gured out. My wife is [angry] at me. I bought
it because I thought it looked cool, but I can't hit [anything].
My Browning shoots better than this gun."
Second, if you can't pronounce the name of the gun, there's
a good chance you won't be able to get parts for it. Make sure
you're not buying a one-run gun.
Also, know whether you're left- or right-eye dominant.
I do believe that if your eye is saying you're a right-handed
shooter, then you should follow through with your right eye,
and vice versa.
When purchasing a shotgun, what should a buyer look
for?
SR: Look for length of pull when mounting the gun – do
Reynolds helped Wheatley pattern her shotgun before and
after he modifi ed her gunstock. The top target shows the
before pattern and the middle shows after.