This week’s good guns: Powered by Gunsinternational.com …

Piotti King #1 12ga SxS Double Barrel 30" Pre-Owned Shotgun SN:8026
Piotti King #1 12ga SxS Double Barrel 30″ Pre-Owned Shotgun SN:8026

Piotti King #1 12ga SxS Double Barrel 30″ Pre-Owned Shotgun SN:8026: This Piotti King is a beautiful gun with gold inlay oval in stock, Gold inlay crest in forearm and fitted with thin wall Briley choke tubes. This gun is in great condition with minor wear. The action is engraved with rose and scroll engraving. Gauge: 12 Gauge Barrel Length: 30″ (76cm) Chamber: 2.75″ Chokes: thin wall Briley choke tubes (9) Length of pull: 14 3/8″, Drop at comb: 1.5″, Drop at heel: 1 3/4″, Cast at toe: 0.125, Weight: 7lbs 6oz. Price: $25,000

Arrieta 803 20 gauge Side-by-Side Shotgun
Arrieta 803 20 gauge Side-by-Side Shotgun

Arrieta 803 20 gauge Side-by-Side ShotgunHolland & Holland 7 pin hand removable sidelock. Purdy style hand engraving. Double triggers with front articulated trigger. Churchill type rib. Holland & Holland assited opener. English walnut straight handed stock and splinter forend with hand rubbed finish. Barrels are 26 5/8″ choked Mod and IM.  LOP is 14″ from the front trigger to center of the leather covered 1″ pad. Demensions are1 1/2″drop at comb, and 2 3/8″, with slight cast on for a right handed shooter.
This fine gun is 98% overall condition, with the case colors (99%) in near perfect condition, the blueing very fine (98%) with only 1 blemish (see photo) from the gun safe on left barrel, wood is in excellent condition with only very slight handling marks (98%). Price: $5700

Arrieta Model 557 28 gauge Double Barrel Shotgun
Arrieta Model 557 28 gauge Double Barrel Shotgun

Arrieta Model 557 28 gauge Double Barrel Shotgun. Price: $3599.99.
Caliber: 28 Ga.
Chambers: 2 3/4 inches
Metal Condition: Blued
Wood Condition: Great
Bore Condition: Bright
Barrels: 28 inches
Triggers: Double
Stock: Wood
Stock Dimensions: LOP 15 inches
Weight: 6 pounds

Chokes: Improved Cylinder, Cylinder

Connecticut / Galazan RBL 16ga SxS round frame custom mint
Connecticut / Galazan RBL 16ga SxS round frame custom mint

Connecticut / Galazan RBL 16ga SxS round frame custom mintComes with two recoil pads 14-3/8″ 14-7/8″ LOP. Gun is in mint condition . 29″ barrels imp cyl / modified comes with factory hard case,snap caps . Less than five boxes fired through it.  Price: $3495

Beretta BL4 OU  – 2 barrel set , 20GA and 28GA: 20GA has 28″ barrel and 28GA has 26″ barrel. M&F IC&M, SST ejector. Straight grip. Weight 6lb 1oz. Leather case, gun is 90% + condition. Both barrels have the same serial number.  Price: $2,850

Beretta BL4 OU - 2 barrel set , 20GA and 28GA
Beretta BL4 OU – 2 barrel set , 20GA and 28GA
LC Smith Hunter Arms Model 3E 12 GA SxS
LC Smith Hunter Arms Model 3E 12 GA SxS

LC Smith Hunter Arms Model 3E 12 GA SxSPrice: $1,999.99
Manufacturer: S/N 1211
Caliber: 12 GA
Chambers: 2 3/4 inch
Metal Condition: Shows some age and use.
Wood Condition: Shows age. Piece of wood missing on forearm bottom at receiver. Many handling marks.
Bore Condition: Shiny
Barrels: 30 inches
Triggers: Double
Stock: Checkered walnut round knob.
Stock Dimensions:
LOP 14 inches
Fore End: Checkered walnut Splinter.
Butt Pad: Serrated wood. Piece of wood missing on the bottom.
Weight: 8 lbs. 0 oz.
Sights: Brass front bead.
Chokes: Fixed Full

Check out the original condition on this 12 gauge L.C. Smith 3E…

L.C. Smith 3E 12 gauge Double Barrel Shotgun, 28" Damascus Bbls
L.C. Smith 3E 12 gauge Double Barrel Shotgun, 28″ Damascus Bbls

Age is rarely kind to old double barrel shotguns. That’s why this 12 gauge L.C. Smith 3E is impressive. For a SxS that’s 113+ years old, it’s in awesome original condition. Check out all the color-case hardening on the action and the finish on the barrels and wood. Those are the things that collector’s love to see.

The Hunter Arms Co., of Fulton, NY, made L.C. Smiths  No. 3s from 1894-1912, and they turned a total of 2,592 of them in 12 gauge. Most of the ones I’ve seen have featured the Hunter One Single Trigger, the design Allan Lard patented in 1899 and Smith adopted as their own. The Lard/Hunter One Trigger can be troublesome, so it’s good that this shotgun doesn’t have it.

L.C. Smith 3E 12 gauge Double Barrel Shotgun, 28" Damascus Bbls
L.C. Smith 3E 12 gauge Double Barrel Shotgun, 28″ Damascus Bbls

When this shotgun was new, it cost right around $100 — a chunk of money. In Sear’s 1909 Fall Consumer Guide, that $100 would buy a solid gold ring with a 7/8 carat diamond. If you’ve shopped for an engagement ring lately, you know how much one of those costs (easily $6000+ with a nice quality stone).

L.C. Smith 3E 12 gauge Double Barrel Shotgun, 28″ Damascus Bbls

L.C. Smith 3E 12 gauge Double Barrel Shotgun, 28" Damascus Bbls
L.C. Smith 3E 12 gauge Double Barrel Shotgun, 28″ Damascus Bbls

Price: $5,299.99

Caliber: 12ga
Chambers: 2 3/4
Metal Condition: Chain Damascus
Wood Condition: Well Used
Bore Condition: Bright and Shiny
Barrels: 28″ Ejectors
Triggers: Double Triggers
Stock: Checkered Pistol Grip
Stock Dimensions: 15″ LOP
Fore End: Checkered Splinter
Butt Pad: Butt Plate
Weight: 9 Lbs.
Sights: Front Bead
Chokes: IC & FULL

Good gun alert: 12 gauge Beretta/ Cole Custom 686 Onyx O/U…

12 gauge Beretta/ Cole Custom 686 Onyx O/U shotgun
12 gauge Beretta/ Cole Custom 686 Onyx O/U shotgun

If I had to pick one double for all my bird hunting, it would this 12 gauge Beretta/ Cole Custom 686 Onyx Over Under. With 28″ barrels, screw-in choke tubes, and double triggers, it could do it all from grouse in Maine to pheasants in the Dakotas.

12 gauge Beretta/ Cole Custom 686 Onyx O/U shotgun
12 gauge Beretta/ Cole Custom 686 Onyx O/U shotgun

Cole Gunsmithing in Harpswell, ME, has been turning out custom Beretta O/Us for a while now. If you went to them and ordered one like this today, it would probably run you $3,500- $4,000. That means this one is a pretty good deal at
$2,795.

12 gauge Beretta/ Cole Custom 686 Onyx O/U shotgun
12 gauge Beretta/ Cole Custom 686 Onyx O/U shotgun
12 gauge Beretta/ Cole Custom 686 Onyx O/U shotgun
12 gauge Beretta/ Cole Custom 686 Onyx O/U shotgun

 

The L.C. Smith Long Range Wildfowl shotgun…

Early Ad for L.C. Smith's Long Range Wildfowl Double Barrel Shotgun
Early Ad for L.C. Smith’s Long Range Wildfowl Double Barrel Shotgun

The 1920s were big times for America, and for American firearms. Over those 10 years, a lot of things changed about both. For guns, two new products came onto and had a significant impact on the market.

The first new product was the Super-X shotgun shell. Introduced by the Western Cartridge Company, it was loaded with their new progressive powder.  Super-X shotgun shells gave “…high velocity and longer range without high gas pressure plus “Short Shot String” and the maker told customers that the end result “…assures clean kills at distances almost unbelievable.”

Western Cartridge Company, 12g Super X shotgun ammunition
Western Cartridge Company, 12g Super X shotgun ammunition

Next up was the Super-Fox shotgun, introduced by the the A.H. Fox Company. A.H. Fox created the first Super-Fox to test Western’s new shells. John Olin, Western’s founder, took delivery of this prototype in 1921. It was well received and in 1923 A.H. Fox made the Super-Fox a part of their line up. Soon it was hit with duck hunters, including the the legendary wing shooter Nash Buckingham.

To take advantage of the new Western ammo and compete with the Super Fox, L.C. Smith introduced the 12 Long Range Waterfowl shotguns in 1924. Available in 3″ and 2 3/4″ 12 gauge, and in all available grades, the L.C. Smith Long Range Wild Fowl guns was advertised as:

THE HARDEST HITTING GUN IN THE WORLD

“The L.C. Smith Long Range Wild Fowl Gun is built from our Regular model, and is designed to handle heavy charges of modern propellant powders, giving it an increased range of 15 to 25 yards, and extreme velocity and penetration with uniform patterns.”

Catalog Description of L.C. Smith's Long Range Wildfowl Double Barrel Shotgun
Catalog Description of L.C. Smith’s Long Range Wildfowl Double Barrel Shotgun

L.C. Smith catalogs claimed that the Long Range Wild Fowls used “A distinctive L.C. Smith method of choking adds 15 to 20 yards to ordinary shotgun range…specially bored to a longer, tapering choke…” To handle heavy recoil, these guns also featured a a reinforced forend loop on the barrels.

L.C. Smith Long Range Wildfowl Double Barrel Shotgun
L.C. Smith Long Range Wildfowl Double Barrel Shotgun

The last L.C. Smith Long Range Wild Fowl Gun was completed in 1942, and in all they made 2,631 of these guns. Right now, this nice one is on Gunbroker.com.

You can learn more about the L.C. Smith Long Range Wild Fowl Gun here.