Posted in DOUBLES on Jan 16th, 2012
Woodward Over & Under shotguns make me crazy. They are one of the most elegant double barrel shotguns every made — without a doubt — and the ones I’ve handled have been some of the finest shotguns I’ve ever seen. James Woodward & Sons introduced their Over & Under in 1913 (Boss’s came out in [...]
Posted in DOUBLES on Dec 6th, 2011
If you’re the handy type and you would like to make your own double barrel shotgun, here’s a great way to get started. Buy this Purdey-style action forging. It’s on Ebay right now for $500. Of course, it still needs a lot of time, work and money to become a gun.
Posted in DOUBLES on Nov 12th, 2011
Here a few good looking guns that have caught my eye lately: Ithaca/SKB 280E, 12g, 28″ – this is a nice looking, well made boxlock with ejectors and shootable dimensions. These guns are solid, reliable, and the single trigger always makes the gun go bang. Perfect for ducks or pheasants. 12g Purdey – Even [...]
Posted in DOUBLES on Jul 5th, 2011
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 [...]
Posted in DOUBLES on Jun 25th, 2011
The 1860s were a decade of upheaval and innovation. As the Civil War raged (1861-65) and the first transcontinental railroad crossed the US (1869), the percussion era in firearms ended. In about a decade, muzzle loading shotguns were replaced by breechloaders and paper cartridges. These breechloaders started out as hammer guns. But by 1871,successful hammerless models [...]
Posted in DOUBLES on Mar 25th, 2011
Just a quick update before the weekend. I’m heading up to Maine to chase woodcock with Puck. I’m very excited to see some birds and get the dog in the woods. The woodock should be back in full force, so I hope to see a bunch of them. We may get out in the evening [...]
Posted in DOUBLES on Mar 14th, 2011
James Julia auctioned this piece of firearm/literary/American history today: this Westley Richards droplock double rifle in .577 Nitro Express that was once owned by Ernest Hemingway. The gun hammered down for $295,000. That’s without the buyer’s a premium of 15%. So whoever bought Papa’s mammoth double dropped around $340,000 to get it. Those are some [...]
It’s been tough winter here in New England – long, gray, snowy. I’ve had just about enough of it. So I’m glad it’s over 60 degrees out today. The snow is melting away and the ice on the rivers is breaking up. I’m hoping to get my canoe in the water in a couple of [...]
Posted in DOUBLES on Feb 18th, 2011
Time magazine ran an interesting article on Wednesday about investing in fine double barrel shotguns: “When the final hammer came down at the end of the December auction at Holt’s Auctioneers — which specializes in the sale of classic English shotguns — total sales had hit a record $2.72 million. Among the hot sellers: a [...]
Posted in DOUBLES on Feb 11th, 2011
When it comes to prices, the used-gun market is made up of dreamers, realists, and fools. Dreamers put ridiculously high prices on guns and, well, dream. Realists price right down the middle. They move stuff and their inventory turns over at a regular pace. Then there are the fools. Some of their prices too high, [...]
