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My grandfather was a machinist. One of his favorite sayings was that a true craftsman is not the fellow who can make a masterpiece with a fully equipped shop, but rather the fellow who can make a masterpiece using the most rudimentary of tools.

Certainly the choice of gun type can make a difference, but buying a different gun because it possesses certain theoretical advantages grants none of them to the shooter unless time and practice bring them to the surface.

A highly skilled man with a familiar bolt gun is in a far better position to face trouble than is a stumbling, bumbling fellow with a double, and vice versa.

But in the real world doesn't cost play a part?

Much is made by "tourist hunters" of the gun they will buy for that big hunt. But for the sake of discussion, let's say a fellow is willing to toss $30,000 at the firearms end of his hunt. I am guessing he is far better off in truth and practice to buy a reliable $1,000 .458 Winchester Mag bolt gun and spend $29,000 on ammo and range time before the hunt than he is spending $29,000 on the gun and $1,000 on ammo.

I truly wonder how many guys who buy expensive doubles put the time and money into the development of truly instinctive shooting and reloading skills. Then again, maybe on average the fellow who is willing to buy an expensive double is also the type who will put the effort into making it good?

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