Shooting Sportsman | Dogs and Doubles

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

February 5, 2023 by Gregg

Parker CHE 28 Gauge SxS Double Barrel Shotgun: Manufacturer: Parker Model: CHE 28 Gauge Serial Number: 189065 Ejectors: Yes Barrels: 28 inches Action: SE Triggers: Double Trigger Gauge: 28 Gauge Stock Comb: 1.5 inches Stock Heel: 2.25 inches Fore End: Splinter LOP: 14.25 inches Weight: 5 lbs. 8 oz. Price: $59,500*

Zoli Pernice OU 2 barrel set 20ga/28ga 29 1/2″ (945) PSA East: Pre-owned, in very good condition, Zoli Pernice 2bbl set 20ga/28ga combo. Features factory flush choke tube 29 1/2″ barrels with thin game ribs. Engraved receiver featuring scroll engraving pattern with removable selectable trigger. Outstanding right handed Field stock and with Round forend. Comes in factory 2 barrel case. Price: $8,495*

AYA Aguirre y Aranzabal, 28 gauge, SxS, sidelock, 29″ barrel, New in box:
New AYA Aguirre y Aranzabal 28 gauge, 29″, SK/IC side by side shotgun. purchased new in 2010, maintained in a soft case, not fired, lightly oiled occasionally. Will provide additional photos, info, etc. upon request. Looking to get $8000 or acceptable offer. Buyer responsible for shipping/insurance. Measurements: Length to heel: 15″ Length to center of butt: 15″ Length to toe: 15.5″ Bend (drop) to comb: 1.5″ Bend (drop) to heel: 2.5″ Price: $8,000

Rizzini Aurum Light Field Shotgun | 20GA 28″ | SN#:124782 | Italian | OU: The Aurum Light model is Rizzini’s best-selling field over-under shotgun, with an incredibly light gun overall. The receiver is incredibly detailed with a game scene along the side and lovely patterned engraving along the bottom. Gauge: 20GA Barrel Length: 28″ Barrel Weight: 1240g Bore Diameter: 16.0 Chamber: 3″ Chokes: 5 Flush Nickel-Coated Chokes Rib: 6mm Vented Stock Dimensions Drop at Nose: 1 1/2″ Drop at Heel: 2 1/4″ Cast: RH Length of Pull: 14 5/8″ Forend Style: Rounded Comb: Fixed Weight: 5lb 11.7oz Warranty: Limited Lifetime Price: $3,964*

BROWNING – BSS – 30″ Bbls – SxS – Ready for Clay Targets: 1976 – Browning – B S/S – 12ga, 3″, 30″, M / F (.020 / .035), Ejectors, Mechanical Single Non-Selective Trigger, LOP 14-5/8″ over a 5/8″ pad, Drop 1-1/2″ to 2-1/8″, Neutral Cast, Weight – 8 lbs. 0 oz. Excellent Condition – 98%! Tight gun that doesn’t appear to have been shot a great deal. Previous owner started to make a Clay Target Gun out of it. Cut the stock just enough to straighten it for a pad – 14″ LOP to edge of the wood. Disabled the auto-safety. Safety works, but doesn’t automatically engage upon opening. All you have to do is put Briley chokes in it! Price: $1,950*

FYI: DogsandDoubles.com is a not a gun dealer. We do not sell firearms. We do not have an FFL. The guns you see listed here are from Gunsinternational.com, a site DogsandDoubles.com is not affiliated with in any way. The accuracy of these listings from Gunsinternational.com has not been verified by Dogs and Doubles. All information and images have been provided by the sellers. Buyers are responsible for verifying the physical condition and specifications of the listed items. Dogs and Doubles suggests you and a qualified gunsmith physically inspect an item before purchasing.

Any statements made on DogsandDoubles.com regarding a firearm’s condition, originality, safety, value, or suitability to use are opinions only. These statements have not been verified. They are not guaranteed to be accurate or correct in any way.

A closer look at that fantastic 20g Krieghoff OU….

February 2, 2021 by Gregg

KRIEGHOFF 20 BORE 1928 SUHL BEST GRADE O/U- 99% ENGRAVING w/ GAME SCENES- 30" V R Bbls.- 100% ORIG. 1928 FINISH- BEST 300 SERIES ACTION-EXC. BORE — KRIEGHOFF 20 BORE 1928 SUHL BEST GRADE O/U- 99% ENGRAVING w/ GAME SCENES- 30″ V R Bbls.- 100% ORIG. 1928 FINISH- BEST 300 SERIES ACTION-EXC. BORE

In support of my “Week of Great Guns” on Shooting Sportsman Magazine’s Instagram page (@shootingsportsmanmag), here’s today’s featured double — a 20g Krieghoff made in 1928.

Krieghoff was founded in 1886 as “Sempert & Krieghoff”. By the time this OU was built, the company had dropped the “Sempert” and earned a reputation for building several unique types of drillings. In the late ’50s, Krieghoff started making the Remington Model 32-inspired OU that they’re famous for today.

The Krieghoff you see here is built on a type OU action created by Merkel in the 1900s. In the 1920s and into the early 1930s, German companies like Heym, Greifelt, and Krieghoff built their own versions of Merkel’s design and exported these guns to the US. These guns were expensive and cost as much — if not more than — most high-grade Parkers and Foxes when they were new. Today, they’re not cheap, but ones in good, original condition offer you a ton of quality at a very fair price.

I’ve handled a lot guns like this Krieghoff, and two things always impress me about them.

First: they’re beautifully made. Fit and finish is great, the stock and action are well shaped, and the guns function like double costing much more.

SecondL Even though they look clunky, they handle really well. Even though this Krieghoff looks like it would be heavy, it comes in at just 6lbs 4oz. With it’s 30″ barrels, I bet it handles great. I love its double triggers, too.

KRIEGHOFF 20 BORE 1928 SUHL BEST GRADE O/U- 99% ENGRAVING w/ GAME SCENES- 30″ V R Bbls.- 100% ORIG. 1928 FINISH- BEST 300 SERIES ACTION-EXC. BORE: #10838, A Krieghoff 20 Bore Suhl Made 1928 Boxlock Best Grade Over & Under Game Gun with 30″ Vent Rib barrels Imported to the U. S. by “B. H. Dyas Co. Los Angeles”, Built on their Best 300 series action body with double underlugs with double bite, A single extension Kersten hidden cross bolt, The 30″ Extractor Krupp steel barrels at .627 .013 & .017″ (Mod. & Imp.Mod), 2 3/4″ chambers, A neat Vent Rib with round posts, 3 piece forend with a horn tip, Bolstered frame, Scalloped action, Intercepting safety sears, Double triggers, Pistol grip stock at 13 1/2 x 1 1/2 x 2 3/8″ over a thin horn buttplate, We installed a 1″ pad without any alteration to the wood so the horn buttplate can go back on at anytime, It is 14 1/4″ LOP with the 1″ pad installed, Neutral stock for the right or left hand, 6 lbs. 4 oz. with the horn buttplate & 6 lbs. 5 oz. with the pad, 99% coverage of extremely nice pre-war Suhl engraving with 5 game scenes of birds and dogs with the balance in neat floral engraving, “B. H. Dyas Co. Los Angeles” in Gold inlaid on the top barrel, It has 2 retainer screws which secure key screws, This piece remains totally 1928 original from muzzle to butt, The original barrel blue remains at 88-90%, The original stock finish is at 85% with typical handling marks, The checkering is at 88-90%, The bores are excellent to near excellent plus. This is a doggone solid, tight, clean and well-made classic 1928 Krieghoff over & under game gun. Compare this Suhl made Sempert & Krieghoff to a current gun for the same price and Suhl in 1928 looks like a pretty strong value to me. Most current guns depth is a backyard wading pool; this Krieghoff’s depth is the ocean. The difference in liking a gun or loving a gun is in the details. This piece has all the solidity and majestic fit of closing a Bentley door. Price: $8,750

Buy this book: Building a Grouse Dog, From Puppy to Polished Performer

February 27, 2020 by Gregg

Check out my latest article from the January-February 2020 edition of Shooting Sportsman magazine. Scroll down to read the entire piece.

My latest Shooting Sportsman article, page 30, January - February 2020 — My latest Shooting Sportsman article, page 30, January – February 2020

Building a Grouse Dog: From Puppy to Polished Performer, by Craig Doherty

True love and truly great dog trainers are hard to come by. It has taken me decades to find both. I married in 2012 and, in 2014 I started sending my Pointers to Craig Doherty, author of the new book Building a Grouse Dog, From Puppy to Polished Performer.

I met Craig back two twenty years ago when I started hanging around field trials. Since then, he has been breeding top-notch grouse dogs for hunters throughout the Northeast and bringing home ribbons from field trials throughout the country, including a first-place win at the 2007 Grand National Grouse Championship–the Superbowl of upland-hunting style dog competitions. While doing all this, he has also built a guiding and dog-training business in northern New Hampshire. So when it comes to top-notch bird dogs, Craig knows what he’s talking about. He has walked the walk, and his new book teaches you how to walk down your own path to success.

Lexi pointing a pigeon — My pointer Lexi with Craig, the book’s author

As it says on the cover, Craig Doherty’s Building a Grouse Dog, From Puppy to Polished Performer is a how-to, and across its 168 pages, and with dozens of full-color pictures, it covers everything from a pup’s first time out of the whelping box to finishing it up on its second season in the grouse woods and beyond. It suggests what training gear you should own, gives you tips on buying, using and introducing your dog to a GPS e-collar, and even discusses where to hunt Ruffed Grouse, and the gun to carry while doing it.

The lessons it teaches are practical, gimmick-free, and easy to apply to any pointing breed. They’re also kind to the dogs. Some current “alpha dog” training philosophies inspire people to be heavy-handed with their pups. Craig doesn’t practice that nonsense or promote it in his book. Instead, he believes “…you need to work at becoming a hunting partner as opposed to a hunting master” and tells you how to do it.

Craig working a gorgeous pointer he has in his kennel — Craig working a gorgeous pointer he had in his kennel

My favorite parts are the bits of wisdom Craig drops in throughout his book, insights like what the breeder of your next grouse dog should be obsessed with, the best time of year for your new pup to be born, why leather collars are not ideal, and how to deal with bloody tails. I’m sure Craig has spent years gathering this knowledge. Gaining just reading his book feels like cheating — but I’ll take it.

Craig was a writer and educator before he became a full-time dog trainer, and his storytelling skills and ability to break down complex ideas into easy-to-understand lessons are evident throughout his new book. So is his empathy for his students, four- and two-legged. Building a Grouse Dog, From Puppy to Polished Performer is easy to follow and a joy to read. Best of all, its lessons are easy to apply and it’s full of wisdom anyone interested in gun dogs will benefit from discovering.

Like I said in the beginning, great dog trainers are hard to come by. It’s even harder to find ones who can teach you their skills. Craig Doherty new book Building a Grouse Dog, From Puppy to Polished Performer does just that, and like true love, it’s something worth experiencing for yourself.

Building a Grouse Dog: From Puppy to Polished Performer, by Craig Doherty,

Available at www.WildAppleKennel.com

A Hand-Braided Legacy, from Shooting Sportsman magazine…

January 7, 2020 by Gregg

Lanyards are something I never gave much thought to — at least until I came across Bob Bertram’s Heirloom Quality Braided Lanyards.

Bob’s a painter and a bird hunter, and he’s always looking for ways to express himself and his talent. I wrote this piece about him and his lanyards for the November/December 2019 edition of Shooting Sportsman magazine: A Hand-Braided Legacy.

What’s that?” my friend Frank said, pointing toward my neck.

“It’s my fancy new lanyard,” I replied, taking it off and handing it over for inspection.

Frank felt the leather strap and admired the braided, crisscross pattern. “Isn’t that something.” he said. He was right. It was something. Sporting artist Bob Bertram had made it for me. Bertram calls his creations Legacy Lanyards, and they are just as beautiful as his paintings. But because they hang around the neck instead of on the wall, sportsmen can admire these works of art anytime they’re in the field.

Legacy Lanyards are custom made and hand-braided with premium kangaroo leather. They come in two types of braids, a variety of color combinations and various styles (one clip, two clips, a magnetic model designed for keys, and a waterfowler model that will hold duck calls). All metal components are stainless steel. Bertram also sells Acme whistles for the lanyards and will embellish them at extra cost.

The braiding on the lanyard Bertram made for me was so tight and consistent that neither Frank nor I could tell where things started and ended. As for its looks, “elegant” and “tasteful” were the words that first came to mind when I saw it. Regarding the lanyard’s design, Bertram said, “It’s kind of a form follows function thing with me. I want them to work, but I don’t want them to be ostentatious. And so mine are kind of simple and clean.”

Starting at $175, Legacy Lanyards aren’t inexpensive. But as the name implies, they are built to last—and to be handed down. According to Bertram: “My lanyards are something you wear when you’re having this great experience. And then you pass them on. My kids will get my lanyards. And, to me, that’s kind of a cool thing.”

For more information, visit legacylanyards.com.

Next up, a Pulitzer…

June 28, 2011June 26, 2011 by Gregg

Shooting Sportsman just published my first feature-length magazine article in their July edition. It’s about Addieville East Game Farm, Chokebore Kennels, and Robin Hollow Outfitters.

Shooting Sportsman magazine, July edition

I visited them last fall and had a great time at all three.

A Sporting Trifecta

“Move up there and get ready to shoot,” Jack told me.

We were five minutes into our hunt and already had a point. It was a Saturday morning in October, and I was at Addieville East Farm, in northwest Rhode Island. Manager Jack O’Brien was my guide. As the sun broke above the trees, autumn’s reds and golds seemed to burst all around us. I had a field of cover and the whole morning ahead. Life was good….”

Please check out the July issue to read the rest.

And Hemingway, look out.