This week’s 5 doubles you don’t want to miss…

H. Mahillon – SxS, Full Sidelock Ejector, 16ga, 27 ¾” choked Light Mod/Full
H. Mahillon – SxS, Full Sidelock Ejector, 16ga, 27 ¾” choked Light Mod/Full

H. Mahillon – SxS, Full Sidelock Ejector, 16ga, 27 ¾” choked Light Mod/Full: Nicely figured straight grip stock, leather covered pad, splinter forend, double triggers with the front trigger being articulated, automatic ejectors, splinter forend, game rib, full coverage ornamental scroll engraving over a coined finish, gun remains in excellent condition. 6 lbs. 2 oz, 14 1/4″ x 1 1/2″ x 2 1/4″ Price: $9,999

Winchester Model 21 - 16ga - 28” - M/F - Splinter Forend - Pistol Grip - WInchester Red Butt Pad - 14 1/8 X 1 3/8 X 2 7/16 - 6lbs 13ozs
Winchester Model 21 – 16ga – 28” – M/F – Splinter Forend – Pistol Grip – WInchester Red Butt Pad – 14 1/8 X 1 3/8 X 2 7/16 – 6lbs 13ozs

Winchester Model 21 – 16ga – 28” – M/F – Splinter Forend – Pistol Grip – WInchester Red Butt Pad – 14 1/8 X 1 3/8 X 2 7/16 – 6lbs 13ozs: This gun is in fine-fine-fine shape. Nothing to apologize about here… ready for the field.  SN: 11852. Price: $7,995

Ed Kettner 24 gauge boxlock SxS shotgun
Ed Kettner 24 gauge boxlock SxS shotgun

Ed Kettner 24 gauge boxlock SxS shotgunThis is a sweet and trim little double. Kettner made very high-quality doubles. It has just been restocked and looks great. The 24 ga.was the European ga. for European woodcock.  Serial Number: 2686, Barrels: 28 1/4 inches, Action: extractor, Triggers: double, Gauge: 24, Stock: Comb: 1 & 1/2″, Heel: 2 & 3/8″, Cast: 1/4, Fore End: semi BT, Butt Pad: plastic, LOP: 14 & 3/4 inches, Rib: concave, Finish: blued and bright, Weight: 5 lbs. 7 oz. Chokes: ic/mod, Minimum Wall Thickness Left: 30 thou., Minimum Wall Thickness Right: 30 thou. Price: $4450

Parker VH 12ga, 1 1/2 frame, SxS Shotgun
Parker VH 12ga, 1 1/2 frame, SxS Shotgun

Parker VH 12ga, 1 1/2 frame, SxS Shotgun: Serial Number: 172487 Price: $2,300

.410 - SALVINELLI - AMBERCROMBIE & FITCH - BOXLOCK EXTRACTOR OVER/UNDER - 26" VENT RIB BARRELS CHOKED CYLINDER/FULL - 3" CHAMBERS
.410 – SALVINELLI – AMBERCROMBIE & FITCH – BOXLOCK EXTRACTOR OVER/UNDER – 26″ VENT RIB BARRELS CHOKED CYLINDER/FULL – 3″ CHAMBERS

.410 – SALVINELLI – AMBERCROMBIE & FITCH – BOXLOCK EXTRACTOR OVER/UNDER – 26″ VENT RIB BARRELS CHOKED CYLINDER/FULL – 3″ CHAMBERS: CASE COLORED  ACTION WITH 100% COLORS REMAIN – SEMI PISTOL GRIP SINGLE NON SELECTIVE TRIGGER IN REAR POSITION LOP 13  13/16″  X  1 1/4″  X  1  15/16″ – NEAR NEW CONDITION Price: $1,650.00

Auction alert: a great little 20g H. Mahillon boxlock SxS …

H. Mahillon, Gunmaker
H. Mahillon, Gunmaker

The Anson & Deeley boxlock is one of the most successful shotgun actions of all time. Invented in 1875 by Westley Richards, the design has been the basis for millions of shotguns, including the one you see here.

H. Mahillon was a Belgian maker with a shop is Brussels. They “made” a wide range of guns: From bolt rifles to best-quality sidelock pigeon guns. I say “made” because I’m not sure if the company built its own guns or had them made in the trade by other craftsmen. Regardless of who actually did the making, every Mahillon I’ve seen has been very well built.

I’m sure the one you see here is, too. If you’re looking for a great little bird gun at a fantastic price, this is it. It’s on Gunbroker.com now, and the listing ends tomorrow, 9/11/2015, @ 4:30:26 PM ET.

H. Mahillon 20g SxS Double Barrel Shotgun
H. Mahillon 20g SxS Double Barrel Shotgun

H. Mahillon 20g SxS Double Barrel Shotgun: Up for bid is a lovely looking, lightly used H Mahillon SxS side plated boxlock ejectorgun shotgun chambered in 20 gauge. Barrels are 26 3/4″ with excellent, bright strong bores with a single bead at the muzzle and matted rib. Metal surfaces are blued and coin finished. I believe the barrels have been professionally reblued and currently retain about 95% of this finish with some scattered marks, scratches and small dings. Receiver is coin finished and it and the lever, sideplated boxlocks, triggerguard, tangs, and screw heads show tasteful engraving; please see the multiple closeup photos. Straight grip English style stock and splinter forend are nicely checkered. Shotgun features a checkered wooden butt and side clips where the receiver and breech end of the barrels meet. LOP is 12 3/4″ and 13 3/4″ with drops at comb and heel of 1 1/2″ and 2 3/16″ respectively. Shotgun weighs in at 5 lb 12 oz. European swivels are at the stock and bottom rib of the barrels. Matching serial numbers.

H. Mahillon 20g SxS Double Barrel Shotgun
H. Mahillon 20g SxS Double Barrel Shotgun
H. Mahillon 20g SxS Double Barrel Shotgun
H. Mahillon 20g SxS Double Barrel Shotgun
H. Mahillon 20g SxS Double Barrel Shotgun
H. Mahillon 20g SxS Double Barrel Shotgun
H. Mahillon 20g SxS Double Barrel Shotgun
H. Mahillon 20g SxS Double Barrel Shotgun

H. Mahillon 20g: very Belgian, very beautiful…

Belgium used to be the world’s gunmaker. Up until World War II, tens of housands of people worked around Liege turned out everything from military rifles and cheap pistols to the very finest sporting arms.

One “gunmaker” doing this type of work was H. Mahillon. I say “gunmaker” because I’m not sure how much making they really did. Like a lot of shops in Belgium, I bet they just put their name on most of the guns they sold. After all, buying ready-made shotguns from the trade and then finishing them off was lot cheaper than employing a full-time team of craftsman.

But hat doesn’t mean that the guns produced by this system weren’t nice. Many of the ones I’ve seen have been very well made and some of them have been finished to a very fine standard. This 20 gauge, sideplated boxlock, is a good example of what I mean.

Here’s the old Gunbroker listing for this gun, too.

BTW: who says you have to spend a fortune to own a real nice double? Side-by-sides like this one are incredibly under valued. This one sold for $2750 – less than a decent A.H. Fox 20g A grade. And it’s a hell of a lot more gun, with dimensions that would actually fit you.