Confessions of a Not-So-Reformed Gun Auction Lurker

By Bill Miller

www.huntingclub.com

“Lurker.” Sounds sinister, doesn’t it? This is the type of guy who hangs around back alleys and shadowy doorways. He’s always there, but you can never see his face. Yes, until last week, I was a “lurker” on GunBroker.com one of my all-time favorite websites.

Fantasy Island for a gun nut would be a place with wall after wall and rack after rack of every kind of firearm ever conceived. And to truly be FI for the GN every gun would be for sale! Well, in the virtual sense that’s exactly the premise of GunBroker.com! And on top of that, GunBroker.com offers way more than just firearms to ogle. Optics, hand loading equipment, hunting trips, ammo, clothing, accessories and more all for sale find a market on GunBroker.com.

I’ve had my own account on GunBroker.com for years, but remained a lurker.  I was there frequently just “lurking” around, looking at the listings, and waiting for just the right moment to get in the game. Last week it happened.

I’ve been a Winchester 101 fan for a long time. I think it started back in high school when a trapshooting buddy saved up enough hay baling money to buy a Winchester 101 Pigeon Grade.  Even then my naïve young eyes recognized a shotgun worth coveting! It wasn’t until the early 80s that I stashed away enough of my own second-job money (and got my wife’s permission) to buy my own – a Lightweight Field model. Now more than 25 years later it’s still my “go to” pheasant gun.

Then in 1987 I was passing the Winchester booth at SHOT Show and saw a shotgun that ended up haunting my dreams and inspiring my lurking! It was a Winchester 101 American Flyer.  Produced only for a year it was a Pigeon Grade gun built for Live Bird shooting – 12 gauge, 28- or 29-inch barrels, Winchoke on the bottom, fixed extra-full on top, high-grade wood – GORGEOUS! But what really caught my eye was the receiver embellishment. It was plain, deep black, but with a thin gold wire inlay paralleling the edge and a gold pigeon on the bottom with the words “Live Bird.” Simple … and to my eye… beautiful.

That was 23 years ago, and I’ve wanted one ever since.  At least every other lurk, I keyed “Winchester 101 American Flyer” into the GunBroker.com search.  I looked a lot of them over, but never saw one I felt  I could afford … until last week. Now I’m thrilled to report that Winchester 101 American Flyer has a spot in the front row of my gun safe. Each night I go to the basement, shoulder it and dream this Minnesota winter will break soon so I can go out and shoot its first round of trap in my hands!

Wait a minute … there’s an open spot in the safe between the 16 and 28 gauge Bill Hanus Birdguns  reserved for a sweet little 20. Hmmm… time to start lurking again!?!