Posted in ENJOYING BOTH on Feb 5th, 2012
I came across this video the other day on Youtube. The clip is from a quail preserve in Tennessee. From what I can see, the place puts hunters into lots of birds. It also has some dogs that really know how to find those birds and retrieve them. But here’s what bothers me: The dogs are [...]
Posted in DOUBLES on Feb 3rd, 2012
Arrizabalaga double barrel shotguns have a reputation for being some of the finest side-by-sides made in Spain. This little 28 gauge is a nice example of the kind of work they turn out. It looks like a pretty low-grade model that’s in excellent original condition. If you shoot a smaller-proportioned gun (yeah, I didn’t want to [...]
Posted in DOUBLES on Feb 2nd, 2012
Auction alert! There are a number of good guns and sporting items coming up on Saturday, 2/4, at South Bay Actions in East Moriches, Long Island, NY. Here are a few highlights of the sale. See the complete listing here. Lot 4: Winchester Model 21 12g with 28″ barrels. Lot 6: Francotte, 28g. side by side. Lot [...]
Posted in DOUBLES on Jan 31st, 2012
Let’s celebrate one of America’s finest gunmakers: Patrick Mullin. Don’t feel bad, most people have never heard of him. Patrick Mullin’s double barrel shotguns were some of the finest ever made on this side of the Atlantic. This 8 gauge, 11lb 5oz., percussion shotgun with 33″ barrels is an excellent example of his work. It glows [...]
Posted in DOUBLES on Jan 28th, 2012
Browning Superposed shotguns are tough to beat. They’re a reliable, time-tested design and one of the few “vintage” shotguns with dimensions that most guys can shoot well. If you’re looking for a solid, dependable shooter, this 12 gauge double barrel Browning is worth a bid: Fifty years from now, guys will lust after original 20 [...]
Posted in DOUBLES on Jan 27th, 2012
W. & C. Scott was one of the most important gunmakers of the last 200 years. In the their history they came up with many different designs for doubles. One of the quirkiest was the Quintuple Grip system you can see on this shotgun. This system combined a standard Purdey-bolt with two bolts on the outside of [...]
Posted in DOUBLES on Jan 27th, 2012
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 [...]
Posted in DOUBLES on Jan 20th, 2012
Gun Auctions can be great place to buy double barrel shotguns — if you know what you’re doing. And I really mean “if”. Auctioneers need to get as much as they can for every lot in their sale. Buyers need all the information they can get. This sets up a sort of cat-and-mouse game. And [...]
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 Jan 11th, 2012
Guyot is a gunmaker I’ve written about before. While I’ve seen a number of double-barrel shotguns marked with the Guyot name, I know very little about the maker. About all I’ve been able to come up with is that they made some real nice guns. This boxlock at Jaqua’s is an excellent example. It’s a 16g [...]
