Hey bonanza,I live close to the cohutta wilderness area & The beginning of the applachian trail at amicalola state park.Sounds like you guys have fun in your club.I like the fellow you said drives the old van & shoots the nice rifles!Hes got the right idea!!Everybody got to love something & I believe he loves his Shooting Irons!!!
I can relate to that!Normal folks dont think anything about a bass fisherman spending tons of money on a boat &Truck to pull it to the lakebut think gun heads are crazy for spending some of the big money on shotguns&rifles!!!
Everybody just dont understand quality equipment & pride in ownership &You get what you pay for &Classic they dont make em like this anymore workmanship.Some of the high end guns are like works of art to shooters who appreciate & understand firearms.4seventy made me feel better when he said dont worry Ill get it shooting right,I feel more confident now I will win the war with the rifle.

I was thinking about the way a rifle recoils throws the shot also& I know my merkel without a recoil pad kicks good.If i put a pad on it ,it should tame it some.It dont kick like a big bore but for a 30-06 it kicks.If i put a pad on it would it reduce the value?What kind of pad would go with a merkel double rifle?Red holland& holland?Or a black like on the ruger express?Just never seen a pad on a merkel double,could recoil affect the shot that much??Anyway thanks doubleriflebrothers for all your help,Ill keep everybody posted on how it works out