J.D. Dougall 4 bore Punt Gun

Here’s the description of the shotgun, right from the dealer’s site:

J.D. Dougall Punt Gun, 4 Gauge Single Barrel With 41 5/16″ Barrel, 2/3 Round, 1/3 Octagonal, No Metal Finish, Nice Pattern On Barrel, Clean Metal, Good Bore, Backaction Lock, Very Good Pistol Grip Stock, 25 Reloadable Aluminum Casings Included.

It was probably made around 1870 and it looked like it used a variation of Dougall’s Lockfast-patent action. Overall, the gun looked good and original, the price was fair, too: $2500.

So why did I walk away? First email exchange from dealer (Condensed for readability):

ME: Please tell me all you can about this gun – how original, condition of bbls, etc. Does it have any issues? Does the gun appear to be all original? The stock looks modified. Anything else look like it has been changed or altered.

Is the trigger crisp? The hammer tight? Is it a rebounding hammer or a non rebounder? Any pitting in the bores?

DEALER: The gun has no issues.  It is good and solid with no breaks or problems.  The buttstock is in amazingly good condition as is the metal on the gun. The hammer is not a rebounding hammer.  The hammer is tight, the action is crisp.  The stock does not look modified to me.  It has the original metal butt plate.  There is some pitting in the bore but it is generally bright and pretty clean.

ME: Does it look like it ever had a forend on it? Is the bbl stamped “Not For Ball”? Is the bbl marked with a bore size and a muzzle size – like a mark that reads 4B over a 6M?

DEALER: No. It does not have any of these markings.

ME: I’ll take it. I’ll call you tomorrow to take care of the details. Standard, 3-day inspection period with standard refund terms, right?

To be continued…

J.D. Dougall 4 bore Punt Gun

J.D. Dougall 4 bore Punt Gun

J.D. Dougall 4 bore Punt Gun

I don’t have any pics of the side-by-sides. Links to all the info I have is below.

Kenneth P. Leiby Auction Service in Richland, PA, has a couple of doubles, including a Lefever, an Ithaca, and a Parker GHE.

Trout Auctioneers, Inc, in Thurmont, MD, has some interesting stuff.  They list some shotguns, but the info on the guns in minimal. Their listing is just enough of a tease to make me curious.

These guys have a 20 Lefever: Chism Auction Company, New Albany, MS. Before you start breathing heavy, it’s an Ithaca gun.

Next Tuesday, these guys are auctioning off Lefever Nitro Specials in 16 gauge and 20 gauge: AZFirearms.com. It looks like it’s an online auction.

These guys auctually have a decent Parker VH and some nice L.C. Smiths side by sides, including a 20 gauge: House Auction, Co. The auction is online. Here’s the complete catalog.

Early LC_Smith 2E

This L.C. Smith side-by-side is a perfect example. It’s an early No. 2 grade, probably made in 1898. It has Smith’s first style ejectors and a ton of original condition.

Overall, it looks like a nice gun.

Early LC Smith 2E

Michael McIntosh

Micheal McIntosh wrote some of the finest stories published about guns, dogs, and hunting in the last 50 years. I used to buy magazines like Gun Dog and Shooting Sportsman just to read his articles. A shelf in my library is crowded with Michael’s books. Shotguns & Shooting is the most tattered and thumb-stained.

Shotguns & Shooting was my first book by Michael’s. I was 27 years old when I bought it. I already planned my vacations around bird hunting and I had already owned a bird dog.  I was just figuring out fine shotguns, though.

You discover yourself in good writing. A feeling you’ve had, a thought—good writing puts them in words. That’s what happened with True Confessions, the first story in Shotguns & Shooting.

True Confessions is about Michael’s love for fine firearms. In many way, it’s my story, too. While the timing, place, and characters are different, the sentiments are the same.

Within a few months of reading Shotguns & Shooting, I pointed my life in a different direction. A trip to a gunshop called New England Arms seduced me away from a good job in corporate America. Ten years later I would be a fanatic about hunting dogs and fine shotguns.

Most writers report. I read their articles and books once and keep them around for reference. I return to McIntosh’s work again and again, reading it for information and pleasure. Michael wrote about everything and he did it all well, so damn well, that I doubt anyone will ever surpass him. Michael’s work is just too good. Even if you’re a hell of a writer, a distant second is all you’ll ever be.

I write for a living and I know how tiresome it can be at times. Word counts, deadlines, typing away, always writing more and more. But if you love words and stories, and you have that nag in you that forces you to write, the work can bring you some peace. I hope it did this for Michael.

Here are two real nice Parkers with tons of original condition.

This first one is a minty 12 gauge VH on Gunbroker.com right now. Now’s that crisp.

Parker VH double barrel shotgun, all original

This next one is a real sweet 12g GH with damascus barrels. It looks like a nice gun – I love those damascus barrels.

Parker GH double barrel shotgun, all original

With a straight grip and 32″ barrels, this Parker a pretty rare double barrel. It looks pretty original, too. The buttstock may be refinished and that pad may not be original, though. Make sure you take a good look at it before you close the deal.

Parker DH 12g @ Cabelas

I suggest checking out these three videos for some insights into game keeping and grouse shooting in the UK. They are very cool.  Enjoy!

Petey the Grouse at Scarborough Fish & Game Association

His name is Petey. He’s a ruffed grouse, born and raised in the wild. He lives around the 9th stand on their sporting clays course. I guess he showed up over two years ago. He’s been around every since.

It’s amazing how tame he is. Scroll all the way down on this page to see some pics of him sitting in a guy’s hand.

Petey is a little, feathered celebrity in Southern Maine. You read more about him and and see more video of  here.

Lock from a mid-grade W & C Scott hammergun, circa 1885

Most people never really see the locks on double barrel shotguns. That’s too bad. The locks are one of the important parts of a sidelock shotgun, They’re also one most intricate and beautifully crafted, too.

These locks from a mid-grade and best-quality W. & C. Scott hammer gun. Both are from around 1885 and all original. The finish you see was put there by the maker.

Take a look at the lock from the mid-grade, W. & C. Scott double barrel shotgun. Even though it’s well made, this lock has a two-pin bridle. That’s not very good.

The lock was probably made by Scott, or by a maker in the trade who specialized in lower-grade locks. It is not marked with a maker’s name. If it was made by an outside firm, they were not interested in taking credit for it.

Compare it to this next lock. One look shows you the extra quality and labor that went into it. This one came off a W. & C. Scott Premier grade double barrel shotgun.

Lock from a Premier grade W. & C. Scott double barrel shotgun

See the extra pins on the bridle? This is a four-pin lock — the best there is. The Premier was Scott’s finest hammergun. This lock came from Stanton — one of the top lock makers in the business. Stanton perfected the rebounding lock in 1867.

Go here and here if you want to learn more about locks. There a lot of pics on those sites, along with some history on the evolution of gun locks. Interesting stuff.