Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/812511
S P O R T I N G C L A S S I C S • 189 obvious that the gun performs perfectly well in the field. Our second day of hunting demonstrated that in sterling fashion when Linda crumpled a cackling pheasant madly scrambling to make an appointment two valleys away at a range that must have been a full 60 yards. For my part, after shooting the 12 gauge at clays (and performing far better than is normal for me), I opted for the lesser weight (6½ pounds compared to the 930's 7¾ pounds) and easier handling of the SA-20 in the field. The nifty 20 gauge comes with a gloss- finished walnut stock and traditional checkering on both the forend and grip. The 26-inch vent-rib barrel features a front bead sight and a set of five choke tubes that truly makes it an all-purpose gun. The 930 has a veritable bevy of special features. These include boron-nitride coatings on the gas piston, piston ring, and other parts of the gun's guts to provide top- drawer corrosion resistance and cleaning ease. The stock comes with drop-at-comb adjustment shims that allow suitable fit and without any break whatsoever for cleaning and did not experience even a hint of a problem. This included a clays course where shooters were paired and most of us fired simultaneously at each target, and a flurry finale where each gunner shot nonstop as fast as they could reload and pull the trigger. Even with shooting gloves, the barrels were too hot to touch by the time the clay targets ceased ascending heavenward from a bluff above the shooters. Although I didn't count, a conservative estimate would place the number of shells chambered and fired in the 400 to 500 range. That's a lot of "work" for a shotgun without so much as a swab of the bore, but they performed admirably. Exactly the same held true when afield, although obviously there was far less shooting and we cleaned the guns at the conclusion of each morning and afternoon outing. The Mossberg 930, designed with considerable input from noted professional shooting instructor Gil Ash, is produced with the competitive clays shooter primarily in mind, but our trip made it abundantly eye alignment for shooters in a wide range of sizes, arm lengths, and body configurations. The receiver has a tungsten finish and Cerakote coating, and the 28-inch vent-rib, ported barrel offers a blue finish nicely complemented by an eye-catching "Pro- Series Sporting" logo engraved in the receiver. The package is completed by an extended Briley choke tube set in skeet, modified, and improved cylinder choices. iF yOU WaNT TO GO Highland Hills' impressive website, www. highlandhillsranch.com, provides ample photo coverage of what to expect, along with details on everything from booking a trip to what to bring, from testimonials to coverage of special types of hunts. Once you have taken a virtual tour of the site and perused the photo gallery, any questions you might have or points you would like some clarification on can be addressed by emailing info@highlandhillsranch.com or calling (866) 478-4868. n