OK, I'm going to go to confession with a funny story.

My very first muzzle loader was an original Belgian made 16 GA double barrel that I bought at a gun show when I was 16 years old. The table had a stack of rusty smooth bore doubles at something like $35 each, which was a lot for me at the time.

I picked the best of the lot to my eye and ended up getting it restored to shooting condition with the help of a friendly gunsmith - a real old gentleman (probably in his early 60's ). That's another story.

Well anyway. Over the next few years I shot a lot of doves, blackbirds and bunnies with that gun. About five years later, hunting rabbits in front of beagles with a guy who would become my brother in law, I had a snatch shot at a running bunny on a long going away shot.

When I pulled the front trigger both hammers fell and both barrels went off. The recoil broke the solder holding the under lug for the single barrel wedge key. The barrels jumped out of the stock and fell to the ground.

In shock, I looked down at the barrel laying there at my feet. Then looked up to see that rabbit dragging itself along the ground by its front feet. I picked up the barrel, ran to the rabbit, and dispatched it with a blow to the head with the barrel.

My brother in law, who was by this time sitting on the ground holding his stomach and laughing his butt off, has never let me forget that day.