I’ve always been of the opinion that guns built on the cheap, that might end up living in the barn, likely were built from damaged or broken guns, or parts of several guns.
I was once told by a guide that relied on horses to get his clients to the hunting camp, that there has never been anything invented that can break more guns with less energy, than a horse. I know this is true because many mixed parts guns were built by blacksmiths, and are often called blacksmith guns. They no doubt took broken guns, and parts in trade.
My Dad always kept an old cheap shotgun in the barn. Mostly it was used for skunks, and rattlesnakes, but killed a bunch of gopher in the vegetable garden as well, and before it became socially unacceptable its fare share of chicken hawks.
Hungry Horse
