Over and Under double barrel shotguns don’t seem innovative to us. But back in the 1920s, shotguns with stacked barrels were still a new idea to most shooter. This old add from Boss shows how they sold these new-fangled things.

I like the “Vertical Gun” description, as well as the claims of “Perfect and quicker alignment, better balance, less recoil.” I’m not sure these claims are true (less recoil definitely isn’t), but that’s salesmanship for you.

Advertisement for Boss's Over and Under double barrel shotgun

The difference between a true, best-quality double barrel barrel and real nice shotgun is  small.  It doesn’t take much to lift a gun to the top level — a few more passes with a file, a bit more attention to detail, a little more refined eye for aesthetics. But it’s these extras that add up and make a big difference.

Forend tip on a Boss Double Barrel

To see what I mean, check out the tip on this forend. The gun is a 1921 Boss, and the quality of the work is Best quality.

It amazes me that the stocker was able to fit the wood and metal that precisely. Another thing that impresses me is the shape of the metal. Why make it that way? Those little points, the curves, the  shark-fin flares — what a pain in the butt. Imagine how much easier it would have been to fit if it were just V shaped. Functionally, the little extra don’t serve any purpose. They sure look nice, though.

You can see more pics of this gun here. It’s #2 of a pair Lewis Drake had a while back. Like most of the stuff Drake has, the Bosses were fantastic guns.

The hammer dropped today at Julias on this stunning Boss O/U. When the action stopped, one hand was up and the bid was $165,000! With the 15% premium, that means the new owner of this spectacular double barrel shotgun will write a check for about $190,000.

Stunning Boss O/U 20g shotgun, circa 1938

I saw this over-and-under shotgun at Julia’s preview on Saturday. I was fortunate to run into a friend there. My friend has been chasing fine guns since the ’60s. He has the knowledge, skills, and background to know fine doubles. When I asked him about this Boss, he told me it was one of the best, and maybe the finest, British double he has ever seen. It did have it all – quality, condition, vintage, and rarity time two (a rare Boss single, selective trigger, and an even rarer rising-bite-style Boss action) – and it’s a gun that couldn’t be duplicated today at any price.

Stunning Boss O/U 20g shotgun, circa 1938

Stunning Boss O/U 20g shotgun, circa 1938

Stunning Boss O/U 20g shotgun, circa 1938

Work!  It really gets in the way. If I didn’t need the money, I wouldn’t go. It’s been a busy couple of weeks at the office, so I’ve had little time for being here (or in the field). BUT tomorrow is October 1 — the best time of the year –and I’ll be out  bright and early, gun in hand, head full of hopes.

The weather is supposed to be wet, so it looks like ducks in the AM and maybe some grouse later on. I’ll be carrying a 12g Fox HE for the ducks and I’m anxious to see how I do. I’ve never hunted waterfowland I’m psyched to see it happen. My girl HATES rain, so we’ll see how things go on grouse.

There are two big auctions coming up. James Julia and Poulin’s Antiques, right to each other in Fairfield, ME, are having their annual fall firearms auctions. Poulin’s is on Saturday and Julia’s starts on Monday. Here are some highlights:

Poulin’s

Webley & Scott 28g, 26" bbls, looks new

Carl Funk O/U Combo Rifle, 12 Ga. / 7 X 57R

Julia’s

20g Boss O/U, 26" bbls

Parker BHE, 20

If you shoot an over & under, you owe a debt to this double-barrel shotgun. It’s the first O/U built by Boss & Co. Completed in 1909, it was a turning point in shotgun design and one of the reasons O/Us are so popular today.

First Boss O/U Shotgun

Shotguns with stacked barrels have been around since firearms were created. While they were never as popular as side-by-sides, lots of makers built right through the flintlock and percussion era. But once breechloading center fires took over around 1870s, stacking barrels presented a problem.

To be loaded, most breechloader need to pivot and open. This means they need a hinge. On a side-by-side, this hinge is created by a section of the front lump called the hook and a corresponding piece in the action called the cross or hinge pin.

When you use the same set up on an O/U, you increase the depth of the barrels and the action. The result is a big, bulky gun that lacks the trim, svelte proportions of a side by side. But when John Robertson’s O/U came along, he changed all that.

Robertson was the huge brain behind some of the most influential shotgun innovations ever created. Along with Henry Holland he created the Holland & Holland Royal shotguns. Later he came up with the Boss-patent ejectors and the Boss-patent single trigger. By the time he came out with this O/U, he had already taken over Boss & Co. and turned their shotguns into the finest doubles in the world.

Robertson’s over-and-under patent borrowed a simple idea from artillery technology. They’re called trunions, and they move the barrels pivot point from underneath the tubes to the sides. This solved the problem of lumps on the bottoms of the barrels and made the Robertson’s O/U almost as trim as a side by side.

Trunnions on a Howitzer

Today, O/Us dominate the market for new doubles. Many of these guns, including all Italian O/Us, are made on designs influenced John Robertson Boss patent. His idea flipped the shotguns barrels, and shotgun shooting, on it’s side. The gun making world has been different ever since.

Trunnions on Boss barrels

Rock gods live good lives, or at Eric Clapton does. Clapton is a big shooter and he has a passion/obsession for fine double-barrel shotguns. “It’s following the same pattern as when I collected guitars, cars and watches. I start out with a fairly broad spectrum, get obsessed and engulfed and finally narrow the collection down. I built a gunroom that can house a certain amount of guns and now I have to clear the decks for the new guns I have on order.”

Over the pass few years he has been selling off some of the side-by-sides and over/unders that he has acquired. Here are a couple that Gavin Gardiner had last year. I can’t imagine how much Eric sunk into refurbishing these guns. Even with their Rock-god provenance, they didn’t sell that well and I doubt he made his money back in the sale.

Clapton at his peak

BOSS & CO.
A 12-BORE SINGLE TRIGGER SIDELOCK EJECTOR OVER AND UNDER GUN, NO. 7609

28-inch barrels with 2 3/4-inch chambers about 1/4 and 3/8 choke borings, short rib with top extension, the frame and locks with fine bouquet and scroll engraving and retaining some original hardening colour, gold lined cocking indicators, rolled edge trigger guard, 14 1/2-inch well figured replacement stock, 6lb. 5oz., recent nitro re-proof

The maker confirms that the gun was built in 1928 and that the gun was re-stocked and re-chambered by them in 2008 for the current owner. The gun has been maintained by the maker and no expense has been spared.

BOSS & CO.
A SCARCE PAIR OF 12-BORE SINGLE TRIGGER SIDELOCK EJECTOR OVER AND UNDER GUNS, NOS. 7449/50

29-inch barrels, the No.1 with recent replacements by the maker with 2 3/4-inch chambers, the No.2 with the original Whitworth steel with 2 1/2-inch chambers, about improved cylinder and 1/4 choke borings, short ribs with top extensions, the frames, locks and gold numbered top levers with fine bouquet and scroll engraving and retaining traces of original hardening colour, gold lined cocking indicators, rolled edge trigger guards, 14 1/2-inch highly figured replacement stocks by the maker with half pistol grips, 6lb. 10oz., nitro proof, in their maker’s lightweight leather case

The maker confirms that the guns were built in 1927 and that the replacement barrels numbered 10308 were fitted in 2008. The guns were re-stocked at the same time for the current owner by the maker, and have been maintained by the maker with no expense spared.

BOSS & CO.
A RARE PAIR OF 12-BORE SINGLE TRIGGER SIDELOCK EJECTOR OVER AND UNDER GUNS, NOS. 6151/2

30-inch replacement barrels by the maker with 2 3/4-inch chambers about 1/2 and 3/4 choke borings, short ribs and extensions, the frames, locks and gold numbered top levers with fine bouquet and scroll engraving and retaining some original hardening colour, the maker’s name signed within a scrolling banner, gold lined cocking indicators, rolled edge trigger guards, 14 1/2-inch well figured stocks with straight hands and recoil pads, 6lb. 13oz., nitro proof, in their maker’s lightweight leather case

The maker confirms that the guns were built in 1912 and that the replacement barrels (numbered 10243/4) were fitted by themselves in 2005. The guns have been maintained by the maker in recent years with no expense spared.

Here are three great double barrel shotguns on the market right now. Today. As we speak.

12 gauge Heym Double Barrel Shotgun at Hallowell Co.

First is this pair of 12g Boss side-by-sides at Lewis Drake’s. Boss & Co. made some of the finest doubles ever. This pair is a great example of just how beautiful they can be.

Second is  this Belgian 12 gauge boxlock ejector. In great shape, well made, in excellent condition — this is a TON of gun for the money.

Finally is this Fr. Wm. Heym ,Grade 4A Boxlock Ejector . This is just a pretty gun. From the French Walnut stock to the engraving, it’s all gorgeous.

Here’s are an example of something that drives me nuts: crappy metal-to-metal fit. You see this on all kinds of guns, from the cheapest to the most expensive. Sometimes it’s because of age, sometimes it’s because of a poor repair, and other times it ‘s from plain shitty craftsmanship.

First, lets start with how things are supposed to look on a top-quality double barrel shotgun. Here’s a look at the fit of a lockplate into the action of a Boss side-by-side from around 1925. See the seem? That’s pretty much perfect.

Excellent metal-to-metal fit on a 1925 Boss

Now take a look at this J. Purdey sidelock. This is off an early Beesley-action double, probably from around 1885. Here you can see a gap. In fact, the fit on this lockplate is gappy at the front and at the back, behind the fences. Now, I don’t this these gaps are Purdey’s fault. Use and wear can lead to poorly fitting locks, as can rehardening an action. And my gut tells me that the colors on that Purdey may not be very original.

Poor metal-to-metal fit on a 19th century Purdey

How much is a Boss 20 gauge, round-body with 17″ barrels worth? How about  $40,000! At least that is one brought a few weeks ago at Bonhams’ July 18th action.

20 gauge Boss #7788 with 17" barrels

Here’s its description from the catalog:

A fine and highly unusual 20-bore (3in) single-trigger assisted-opening round-bodied sidelock ejector gun by Boss & Co., no. 7788

This gun was one of a trio of 17″ Boss 20 gauges made for beer magnate A.E. Guinness. Round body, Boss twenty gauge side-by-sides are pretty rare, especially with original 3″ chambers. I bet the made fewer than 10.

I have no idea why A.E. Guinness. wanted such short barrels. You have to wonder how they handle. Mr Guiness must have used them for driven game. I can’t think of any other reason for ordering a trio.

The description in Bonham’s catalog does say that the stock was originally about 13 3/4″ inches long. Perhaps Mr Guiness was a small man? Or maybe he was tipsy on the family’s product when he placed the order?

The rest of the sale seemed pretty soft, with a lot of guns not selling. You can see the entire catalog online here.

Passion is insanity.  I’m passionate about hunting dogs, double barrel shotguns, and bird hunting. Sometimes, this passion drives me to do crazy things.

Boss trade label

Unfortunately, they’re usually way out of my league. New Bosses are $100,000+. Decent side-by-sides go for $25-$60,000 on the used market. Last spring, this 20g hammered down for $51,750.

So you can imagine how crazy I went when I found one for $10,000. And not just any one. This was a 1928 Boss 20 gauge. Of course, it had a few issues. Here’s the original listing from Gunbroker.com.

The barrel were their original 28”. Good. But without detailed measurements, I couldn’t tell if they were shootable or scrap. The seller didn’t know a bore mic from a sand wedge. After eyeballing the barrels a few times, he told me over the phone that the wall thicknesses looked good to him. Yikes.

Then there was the condition of the sale: AS IS. So one of two things would happen: either I would receive the gun and eat any problems I discovered, or I was booking a flight real soon (the gun was in Florida). Inspecting it in person was the only way I could trust the deal.

Even with all my problems, my crazy mind was racing: I could fix the gun up over a few years (or more likely, decades). I could call this buddy in London for the stock work, use his friends from Boss for the forend iron and ejector work, have him bring it over to so and so for a proper refinish, and on and on.

It might take me twenty years to do it right, but shit, this was a friggin’ 20g Boss from 1928 – the best period for these guns. Fixed up right, this could be one of the finest British 20 gauges around.

I would sell some stuff to buy the gun. Then I could sit on it for a few years, save up, and repair it bit by bit. Or I could pull the plug on an IRA and do it all at once. It would be done in a couple years. Of course, I doubt it would ever appreciate like stocks. But what fun were they? What kind of returns had I seen over the last decade?

Busted up Boss 20g double barrel shotgun

I came up with a plan. I would wait for the auction to end. I was sure the gun wouldn’t sell. Who was going to pay $10,000 for a busted up Boss on Gunbroker? Then I would negotiate a lower price, buy the gun and take things from there. Foolproof. All I had to do was wait….

Then the gun was gone. Someone stepped up and bought it, paying the seller’s Buy it Now price. I was shocked. Disconcerted. Pissed. WTF! Elation  turned to deflation.

I was depressed. Even worse, I felt regret. I should have acted earlier. I should have made the deal first and thought about it later. The rewards go to the risk taker.