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

LANCASTER 280 FLANGED- NEVER HUNTED & APPEARS UNFIRED- PRE-WAR PIECE FINISHED in 1946- SIDELOCK with 26" CHOPPER LUMP Bbls.- 1946 NEW
LANCASTER 280 FLANGED- NEVER HUNTED & APPEARS UNFIRED- PRE-WAR PIECE FINISHED in 1946- SIDELOCK with 26″ CHOPPER LUMP Bbls.- 1946 NEW

LANCASTER 280 FLANGED- NEVER HUNTED & APPEARS UNFIRED- PRE-WAR PIECE FINISHED in 1946- SIDELOCK with 26″ CHOPPER LUMP Bbls.- 1946 NEW: #18803, Charles Lancaster Sidelock 280 Flanged That Never Went Hunting & Appears Unfired, Pre-War piece that was finished in 1946, WWII altered the intended use of many Sporting Firearms and I believe this gun is one of those as it remains to this day like a new rifle. The address is 7 Bury Street, St. James’s, London: A Bar Action Sidelock with 26″ Extractor Chopper Lump barrels with A Dolls Head rib extension plus a third bite, 1/4 rib with 1 standing & 2 folding rear sights, London Nitro Proved, Regulated with 140 grain bullets, Bushed strikers, Double triggers, Lever forend release, 14 13/16″ LOP over a checkered butt, 9 lbs. 14 oz., 95% coverage of period scroll engraving that is very well cut, 99% original case colors that remain bright & vivid, 99% original barrel black with near perfect striking on the barrels, The original stock finish remains at 98% with a few gun cabinet marks, The checkering is at 100%, The inside of the forend has 100% case colors, The breech face has 100% case colors, The bores are new.
Price: $35,500

Perazzi MX 20 Over/Under Shotgun
Perazzi MX 20 Over/Under Shotgun

Perazzi MX 20 Over/Under ShotgunNew-in-box 20 gauge Perazzi MX20 Over/Under shotgun with fixed chokes. Shotgun comes complete with a Perazzi hard case. Wood is lighter colored with a prince of wales stock and light Perazzi engraving and blued receiver and barrels. Choke constriction is Top: .028, Bottom: .020. Price: $8,999.99

Arrieta 801 20 Gauge Side-by-Side NEAR NEW, 28", MANY OPTIONS, UPGRADED WOOD, SELF OPENER: Price: $7,950.00
Arrieta 801 20 Gauge Side-by-Side NEAR NEW, 28″, MANY OPTIONS, UPGRADED WOOD, SELF OPENER: Price: $7,950.00

Arrieta 801 20 Gauge Side-by-Side NEAR NEW, 28″, MANY OPTIONS, UPGRADED WOOD, SELF OPENER: Price: $7,950.00
Barrel Length: 28″
Chokes: .002/.005  CYL/IC factory
Bores: perfect
Bore Diameter: .621/.622
Wall Thickness: .026/.027
% Blue: 99% factory
Chambers: 2 3/4″
Ribs: tight, hand cut filed
Sights: single
Action: tight, right of center
Ejectors or Extractors: ejectors, strong, timed
Case Color: 99% factory
Screws: perfect
Engraving: clear, sharp fine English scroll
Trigger Type: double, crisp
Trigger Guard Color: 99% factory
Type: figured French, English stock/splinter forend
LOP: 14 11/16″
LOP To End Of Wood: 14 1/4″
DAH: 2 1/2″
DAC: 1 7/16″
Cast: 3/16″ off
Checkering Condition: perfect
Butt Treatment: sporting clays black

MAINWARING - SIDELOCK W/EJECTORS, 16 ga
MAINWARING – SIDELOCK W/EJECTORS, 16 ga

MAINWARING – SIDELOCK W/EJECTORS, 16 ga27 1/2″ BLS. M/IM, DOUBLE TRIGGERS, 100% COVERAGE IN SCROLL ENGRAVING, STRAIGHT GRIP, BUSHED FIRING PINS, 14″ x 1 3/8″ x 2 1/16″ x 3/8″ OFF, WEIGHT 6 LBS. 2 OZS., CC 50%. FIRST RATE GUN.  Price: $6,500

W.W. Greener – Damascus SxS Hammergun – 12 ga: Price: $5,900

Ejectors: No
Trigger: Double

W.W. Greener - Damascus SxS Hammergun - 12 ga: Price: $5,900
W.W. Greener – Damascus SxS Hammergun – 12 ga: Price: $5,900

Grip: Rounded Pistol Grip
Forend: Checkered
Lop: 14 ”
Pad thickness: ”
Type of butt: Factory
Drop comb: 1 5/8 ”
Drop heel: 2 3/4 ”
Cast amount: 3/8 ”
Cast: Off
Weight: 7 lbs, 4 oz
Manufactured in: England
Manufacture Year: Finish: Case Colored
Overall condition: Very Good
Stock condition: Very Good
Metal condition: Very Good
Stock: Original finish
Metal: Original finish
Type of Case: none
Extra barrels: 0
Gauge: 12 ga
Chamber: 2 1/2 ”
Length: 30 ”
Chokes: Full
Rib type: Concave
Comments : Gun is in very good condition with some light handling marks.

Did I blow it?

20 gauge Mainwaring side-by-side shotgun
20 gauge Mainwaring side-by-side shotgun

The Rock Island Auction company’s big winter sale started yesterday and it runs until tomorrow. I was excited about this 20 gauge Mainwaring side-by-side, but I backed off it at the last minute. While it’s a nice looking shotgun, it may of had some serious, deal-killing problems.

Mainwaring was in Paris, and they were more of a retailer than a maker. This sidelock was probably one of the finest side-by-sides they offered. It was made in Belgium, pre-WW2, and the finish on it looks original. All good, it could easily be a $6-8,000+ shotgun.

20 gauge Mainwaring side-by-side shotgun
20 gauge Mainwaring side-by-side shotgun

But according to the auctioneer, it was far from all good. It was proofed with 2 1/2″ chambers and light modified chokes. Rock Island’s said it now had 3″ chambers and no choke. So it sounds like some moron went inside those tubes and reamed them way out. And who knows what else the knucklehead did to the rest of the shotgun?

But here’s the thing: I’m not so sure that the bbls were that bad. I had reasons to doubt Rock Island’s report. If I was correct, the gun was all original and unmessed with. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find anyone to double check it for me. So I had to walk away.

20 gauge Mainwaring side-by-side shotgun
20 gauge Mainwaring side-by-side shotgun