Smith | Dogs and Doubles

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

May 30, 2022 by Gregg

Very fine 28ga Webley and Scott model 728 Boxlock SxS: These are high quality and dynamic guns – this one made with 25″ barrels that have checkered splinter forend that has Anson type push button release. Case hardened and engraved action is nicely scroll engraved with makers name on sides. Barrels with makers name on right tube and “Harrington and Richardson” on left. Blued trigger plate. Made with double triggers, auto safety, and auto ejectors. This gun made with straight grip buttstock that terminates with checkered butt. Overall, the gun remains in excellent lightly used original condition with nearly all original finish to wood and metal surfaces. The barrels retain more than 97% original blue. Action retains most all of its original case color. Stocks are sound and retain most all of their original finish. Trigger plate retains about all of its original blue. Trigger guard has toned at grip and retains about 1/2 of its original blue. Bores are brilliant and shiny. Mechanics are crisp. Price: $6,295

Johann Springer 16g. Boxlock. High grade with excellent triggers and long elegant barrels: Serial Number: 9045 Ejectors: Yes Barrels: 75 cm (29 3/8″) Barrel Type: Steel Action: Side plated boxlock Gauge: 16 gauge Stock Comb: 1 1/2″ Stock Heel: 2 1/4″ Stock Cast: 0 LOP: 13 7/8″ (13 5/8 Weight: 6 lbs. 6.5 oz. Choke Left: .037 extra full Choke Right: .012 IC-Mod Proof: Nitro 2 1/2″ Minimum Wall Thickness Left: .021″ Minimum Wall Thickness Right: .028″ Price: $5,200

Browning BSS, 20GA, 28″ bbls, Straight Grip, NEW in maker’s case: A beautiful example of a Browning BSS, 20, 28in brls, SST, SG, BTFE, barrels Choked Mod and Full. Serial Num: 02363 RP368. These guns are very very hard to find in there original Browning Factory Hartman Travel Case made for the BSS. Originally purchased new. Both wood and metal surfaces are very nice. We were told this gun lightly shot 4 or 5 shells as test fired. This example BSS is a bit of a time machine and with very rare fitted case. Shotgun Gauge: 20 Gauge Serial Number: 02363RP368 Barrel Length: 28in Bore Info: Mirror and Bright Chambers: 2 3/4in & 3in Ejectors: Yes, strong Condition: Minty Metal Condition: Minty Wood Condition: Minty Bore Condition: Minty Barrels: Special Steel Barrel Type: Side by Side Action: Break Action Triggers: Single Select Stock: Straight, English Stock Cast: Neutral for RH and LH shooter Fore End: Beavertail Butt Pad: Factory Browning (hard) LOP: 14 1/2 inches Rib: Factory Finish: Oil finish, as new Weight: 6lbs, 6oz Chokes: Fixed Choke Left: Full Choke Right: Mod Engraving: Factory, still sharp Case: Factory Hartman Case. Price: $3,895

Sig Arms ~ Aurora ~ 28 Gauge ~ OU ~ Italian ~ Shotgun: This gorgeous shotgun is a lightweight upland over and under featuring a color case-hardened receiver, removable chokes, selectable barrels, and an English style stock. In great condition for going out in the field with any field hunter. 28 Gauge. Metal Condition: Excellent Wood Condition: Very Good; light handling marks Bore Condition: Excellent Barrels: 28″ w/ Vented Rib Triggers: Single Select Stock Dimensions: 14.5″ LOP Fore End: Textured Wood w/ Ebony Diamond Inlay Butt Pad: Rubber Weight: 6lbs Sights: Front Bead Chokes: Full – Over; Modified – Under. Price: $2,499.99

L.C. Smith 20Ga. 30″ bbls. Field Grade. SxS. Shotgun: L.C. Smith 20 gauge field grade with 30″ Armor steel barrels. This gun is in excellent original condition. It retains around 25% of the original case color,90% of the original barrel blue,and 90% of the original wood finsh. The barrels have mint bores and are choked full and full with 23/4″ chambers.. The stock is sound with no cracks or damage. The gun is built on a featherweight frame and weighs 6-2. A fine walking pheasant gun or a fun vintage clays gun. Price: $1,895

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

August 8, 2021August 7, 2021 by Gregg

Holland & Holland Royal Best Quality Sidelock 12ga/26.5" — Holland & Holland Royal Best Quality Sidelock 12ga/26.5″

Holland & Holland Sidelock 12ga/26.5″: London best gun specially made for Abercrombie & Fitch Co. New York — Full sidelock with 99% color case remaining. A&F factory logo is inlayed in gold on bottom of receiver. Straight grip stock measures 1 9/16″ x 2 1/16″ x 14 3/8″ over checkered butt, double triggers, splinter forend. This gun weighs 6lbs 9oz. Mint condition. 1962 Mfg. Price: $28,495

Colt 1878 Grade 8 SxS Hammer Shotgun: Serial Number: 20648, Barrels: 30 inches, Triggers: Double Trigger, Gauge: 12 Gauge, Fore End: Splinter, LOP: 14 /14 inches Weight: 7 lbs. 10 oz. Price: $18,950

KERSTEN ANTINIT O/U ENGRAVED SHOTGUN: #654A KERSTEN ANTINIT O/U ENGRAVED SHOTGUN, 12 ga., 31” bbls., extremely full choke almost down to a 16 bore, fully raised matted rib with 2 ivory beads, action engraved with game scenes, left side has a fox watching 4 pheasants flying, right side has 2 pointers watching 4 grouse flying, both are in an outdoor scene with brush, trees, hills & so forth, bottom of frame has a hawk sitting on a dead Mallard in an oval, also has “FCR” initials in gold on bottom of trigger guard with engraved scene around it, bbls. are also engraved & marked “Bohler Antinit”, right side of bbls. marked “Nitro”, SST, ejectors, cocking indicators, top tang safety, flat panel on both sides of stock behind the receiver, fancy checkered PG with engraved steel PG cap, oval gold inlay in bottom of stock, leather covered recoil pad, 15” pull, checkered forend with Deeley lever forend release, beautiful condition with 100% bbl. blue, mint bores, 100% casehardening, very high quality. Price: $5750

J.D. Dougall Highest Quality 12 Gauge Dbl. Bbl. Barrel Shotgun with Patented “Lockfast Breech System in Exc. Original Condition: Exceptional J.D. Dougall double barrel shotgun manufactured in 1872. It has the maker’s name with London address on the barrels top rib, although Dougall is believed to have been a Glasgow gun maker. The receiver has beautifully scalloped fences and noseless “rabbit ear” hammers (a Dougall standard). The receiver, lockplates, hammers, trigger guard & top tang are beautifully engraved with about 60% coverage of extremely fine English foliate arabesque patterns. This shotgun is marked “Highest” highest quality on barrels, frame and forend. Untouched original finish on metal and wood. Barrels are brown damascus with recent Birmingham nitro proof “2016”. Stock has all original finish and checkering with very few handing marks. Shotgun has 75% original case color remaining. It has a full pistol grip with color hardened grip cap engraved, heel and toe butt plate engraved. Min. barrel wall thickness is .024 right and .023 left barrel. The 28″ uncut barrels have mint bores and are choked pre-choke and cylinder bored. This classic shotgun will make someone a great Quail gun. Price: $4,950

LC SMITH FEATHERWEIGHT FIELD IN 20 GAUGE: LC Smith Featherweight 20 gauge with 26″ barrels. Original case color at 25%. Extractors. Tight on face with top lever well right of center. Chambers are 2 3/4″. Mirror bores. Right barrel measures .612 with 12/1000 choke (IC). Left at .614 with 21/1000 choke (Mod). Weight of the gun is 6 LBS 3 OZ. Aftermarket butt plate. LOP is 14 1/8″. Drop at comb – 1 1/2″. Drop at heel – 2 5/8″. A nice solid, collectable LC Smith ready for the field. Price: $1,295

Auction alert: 16g L.C. Smith Field Featherweight, NO RESERVE…

March 2, 2021 by Gregg

NO RESERVE: LC Smith field FW Featherweight 16 ga 28in SxS

This one is on Gunbroker.com now. The auction started out a penny and there’s NO RESERVE. It ends this Friday, 3/5/2021, @ 8:19 PM.

Back in the day, L.C. Smith was one of America’s most successful gunmakers. According to this timeline from the L.C. Smith Collector’s Club, the first “L.C. Smith” SxS shotguns appeared in 1884. The company went out of business in 1950. The name was revived in 1969 and retired for good in 1971. In that time, LC Smith built 250,000+ guns in several configurations and grades (learn more about them here).

The 16g you see here is a Field grade, the most basic SxS Smith offered from 1912-1950.

The Field-grade Smiths came in 10g, 12g, 16g, 20g, and .410. Regular and Featherweight (FW) models were offered. LC Smith built around 199,384 of them — 38,678 in 16-gauge alone.

LC Smith field FW Featherweight 16 ga 28in SxS: Wood finish is well worn, barrels have lot of blue with some wear spots, 2 9/16″ chambers, 14in LOP with drops of 1 11/16″ and 2 7/16″. imp mod and full.

Two beasts: An American 8 gauge, a British 4 gauge …

January 13, 2017 by Gregg

Big & beautiful. E. M. Reilly 4 gauge SxS Double Barrel Hammer Shotgun

If you collect big bore, waterfowling shotguns, or want to start, you’re in luck: Two of finest you’ll ever find are coming up in James D. Julia’s April, 2017, auction. In their day, big bores like these were far too expensive to be used by commercial hunters as “market guns.”

Instead, they were bought by well-off sportsmen and used to pass shoot ducks, geese and even swans. From what I’ve read, as hunting pressure along the Eastern flyways increased, waterfowl became warier (and scarcer). To bring them down, hunters needed guns that could reach out further. With their big loads and heavy charges, big bores were able to do this.

Big & beautiful. E. M. Reilly 4 gauge SxS Double Barrel Hammer Shotgun

A monstrous & fabulous E.M. Reilly 4 gauge Side-by-Side hammer shotgun. I’ve had this double in my hands, and it’s incredible. To help it resist corrosion, it was nickel-plated and it features no engraving. It was probably made in England in the 1870s, and it remains in incredible — and to my eye — all original condition. Interestingly, it has stalking safeties on it – a feature normally reserved for hammer rifles.

An awesome 8 gauge L.C, Smith Quality 2. Stunning original condition.

An L.C. Smith 8 gauge Quality No. 2 Side-by-Side hammerless shotgun. I’m pretty sure this shotgun popped up on the market a few years ago. If it’s the same gun, it’s in incredible original condition and pretty much new. L.C. Smith probably made fewer than 50 eight gauges. This one has to be the finest one in existence. The Quality No. 2 was L.C. Smith’s lower middle grade. The company built them from 1890-1914 and made 12,483 total. Of those, just 38 were 8 gauges.

An awesome 8 gauge L.C, Smith Quality 2. Stunning original condition.

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

January 17, 2016 by Gregg

James Purdey 10 Bore SxS Hammer Gun: Rare light weight (8 pound) hammer game gun. Outstanding all original condition with very nice wood and good amount of case cloring remaining. Excellent 31 inch fine damascus barrels.Rare side clips and top lever. Very nice engraving and checkering.Proper 2&5/8 inch chambers with open chokes. Throws outstanding patterns and feels like a 12 bore. Excellent shootable dimensions and 14.5 inch LOP. Very little lifetime use and overall excellent condition. Price: $9500

Beretta – S05 – 12 ga Over Under Shotgun: Price: $7,500

Ejectors: Yes

Trigger: Single
Grip: Pistol Grip
Forend: Checkered
Lop: 14 1/2 ”
Pad thickness: 0.75 ”
Type of butt: Decelerator Pad
Drop comb: 1 1/4 ”
Drop heel: 2 3/16 ”
Cast amount: 1/8 ”
Cast: Off
Weight: 7 lbs, 10 oz
Barrel info:
Gauge: 12 ga
Chamber: 2 3/4 ”
Length: 28 ”
Chokes: 2 Choke Tubes
Rib type: Ventilated

Winchester Mod 21 SxS 16ga: Price: $4,899.99

Chambers: 2 3/4″
Metal Condition: Some Bluing Loss
Wood Condition: Well Used in Good Condition
Bore Condition: Nice and Shiny
Barrels: 26
Triggers: Single Selective
Stock: Checkered Pistol Grip
Stock Dimensions:
14 1/8″ LOP
Fore End: Checkered Splinter
Butt Pad: Checkered Butt Plate
Weight: 6 Lbs 12 Oz.
Sights: Front Bead
Chokes: IC and MOD

Connecticut Shotgun RBL 28 Ga Side-by-Side Shotgun: Price: $4,499.99
Chambers: 2 3/4″

Metal Condition: Excellent
Wood Condition: Excellent
Bore Condition: Excellent
Barrels: 30″ with ejectors
Triggers: Selectable
Stock: Fine Walnut with diamond checkering
Stock Dimensions:
14 3/4″ LOP, 1 5/8″ DAC, 2 3/8
Fore End: Fine Walnut with diamond checkering
Butt Pad: Factory butt plate
Weight: 5 lbs. 14 3/4
Chokes: Full / Mod.

Charles Smith Boxlock Ejector Side-by-Side: Charles Smith Classic English Double 12 Bore SxS. Fine engraving, double triggers, Prince of Whales stock. Very low serial number. Price: $2999.99

Chambers: 2 1/2″
Ejectors: Yes
Condition: Very Good
Metal Condition: Good
Wood Condition: Very Good
Bore Condition: Excellent
Barrels: 28
Action: BLE
Triggers: Double
Gauge: 12
Stock: Straight
Stock Comb: 1 9/16
Stock Heel: 2
Stock Cast: 1/4″ Cast Off
Fore End: Splinter
LOP: 14 1/4
Rib: Plain
Weight: 6 lbs 12 oz
Sights: Brass Bead
Chokes: Fixed
Choke Left: .028
Choke Right: .005

See the amazing finish on this 100+ year old L.C. Smith No. 2…

January 9, 2016January 17, 2016 by Gregg

L.C. SMITH No. 2 12 GAUGE HAMMERLESS SXS SHOTGUN

Twelve-gauge, L.C. Smith No. 2s are not hard guns find– unless you’re looking for an example with the kind of condition you see here. Hunter Arms made 10,815 of them from 1890-1914, and according to the L.C. Smith Collector’s site, they turned out the one you see here in 1899.

Yeah, 1899. That’s before Ford introduced it’s first car and before most people in the US had electricity.

No. 2s weren’t fancy guns, and most of the one you see today are pretty banged up. This one looks like it has barely been used, and except for the pad and maybe a light refinish to the back of the buttstock, I’m thinking it’s all original. So take a long look at it, because doing so is almost like taking a trip back in time.

L.C. SMITH No. 2 12 GAUGE HAMMERLESS SXS SHOTGUN: A beautiful high condition early L.C. Smith SxS. 12 ga with 2-3/4″ chambers. Serial range of 103k making it built in about 1898-1900. Early characteristics including the early style sideplate, rectangular safety window and dogs head on the forearm. High condition with beautiful blue bbls that are just as nice on the inside. Frame has all case colors remaining. Most are very vivid. Grade 2 bird engravings on the sidelocks. Wood is exceptional and has the very thin wrist with pistol grip knob. LOP 14″ from the added white line recoil pad. Fine early shotgun! Price: $4,875.

Wow – what a gun: 16g L.C. Crown grade, original, near new …

June 16, 2015 by Gregg

LC SMITH CROWN GRADE SxS SHOTGUN 16 GAUGE

High-grade L.C. Smith are some of the best-looking doubles ever made in America. Check out this 16g Crown grade to see why.

The Hunter Arms Company made the Crown from 1912-1950, and when it was first introduced it to replaced the company’s No. 5 grade. Crown grades were available in four gauges – 10, 12, 16, and 20 – and in .410. Hunter Arms built 862 Crowns, and 68 of these were in 16 gauge.

They were all made-to-order shotgun, so the specific subject of the engraving patterns, the barrel lengths, and stock measurements could all be dictated by the buyer. That being said, most of the Crowns I’ve seen have had 28″ or 30″ bbls.

This 16g was made in the mid 1930s. At that time, A. F. Stoeger listed an L.C. Smith Crown like this at $292.50, a whole lot more than a basic Winchester Model 21 ($73.40) and a just little more than a Parker CHE with a single trigger ($267.50).

LC SMITH CROWN GRADE 16 GAUGE: #149XXX 28″ IC AND MOD 2 3/4 HUNTER ONE SINGLE SELECT TRIGGER EJECTORS SPLINTER FOREARM PISTOL GRIP NEAR NEW ORIGINAL CONDITION 6LBS 11 OZ X 2 1/4″ X 1 1/2″ X 14″. Price: $29,500.

BTW: I would like to thank the LC Smith Collectors club for a lot of this info. If you want to learn more about Elsies, you should check out their site.

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

June 14, 2015 by Gregg

LC SMITH CROWN GRADE SxS SHOTGUN 16 GAUGE: #149XXX 28″ IC AND MOD 2 3/4 HUNTER ONE SINGLE SELECT TRIGGER EJECTORS SPLINTER FOREARM PISTOL GRIP NEAR NEW ORIGINAL CONDITION 6LBS 11 OZ X 2 1/4″ X 1 1/2″ X 14″. Price: $29,500

HOLLAND & HOLLAND 16 SIDELOCK BADMINTON GRADE- GOLDEN ERA 1935- 26 1/2″ Bbls.- AN EXC & SOLID GAME GUN- ORIG. CASE: #30204, Holland & Holland, 98 New Bond Street, London: A Bar Action Hand Detachable Sidelock Ejector Badminton Grade 16 Bore Made 1935 with 26 1/2″ Dovetail Lump Barrels at .668 .017 & .022″ (Mod. & Imp.Mod), 2 1/2″ chambers, The wall

thickness on the right and left at .025″, London Nitro Proof at 1 ounce, Double triggers with the front articulated, Splinter forend with an Anson release, Straight hand stock at 14 3/4 x 1 1/2 x 2 3/8″ over a 3/4″ pad, Neutral stock, 6 lbs. even, Nice wood with nice color, Border engraving, This gun retains 92-93% barrel blue, It retains 40% original case colors, The butt and forend wood remains at 90%, The checkering still at 92%, The barrels inside and out are in excellent plus condition and totally free of any pits, dings or dents, The barrels ring with a nice chime, John Stanton & Son locks (John Stanton was the inventor & patentee of the Stanton rebounding gunlock), Cased in the original factory brass cornered leather trunk with all the proper trade labels including the serial number. This is a very nice Badminton Sidelock Game Gun with excellent barrels, game gun weight at 6 lbs., made in the Golden Era, great dimensions and points like a dream. Price: $15,750

J. Blanch & Son — Scalloped Boxlock Ejector — 12 Gauge, 2 3/4″ Chambers: 30″ SxS fluid-steel barrels with smooth concave rib and rib extension third fastener choked improved cylinder & full. 14 1/2″pull from front trigger to striated horn buttplate. 1 1/2″ – 2″ drop. Highly figured dark walnut stock with Anson-release splinter forend, straight English grip, classic point-pattern checkering, checkered sidepanels, teardrops, and vacant silver oval. Scroll and game scene engraved, scalloped Anson & Deeley action with carved fences, manual top tang safety with SAFE inlaid in gold. Weight: 6lbs, 6oz. Built early 1880s. 99% barrel reblack. 25% original casehardening colors. Excellent bores. Tight on the frame with the forend in place. London reproofed for 70mm (2 3/4″) cartridges in 2010. Price: $3675

1928 Merkel Suhl Combination gun Model 210: Serial Number 16561. 16 GA over 8.1 x 72. Barrels are clean and smooth. Wood is good condition. The gun was used, thus some small nicks are visible. Arabesque scrolling. Originally listed at $3900. Appraisal letter for $2,900. Willing to take less. Inherited gun for which I have no use. Price: $2700

Serial Number: 16561
Caliber: 8.1 x 72

Condition: good
Metal Condition: very good
Wood Condition: good
Bore Condition: excellent
Triggers: set trigger for rifled barrel
Gauge: 16

BERETTA – 626 Onyx – SxS – 20ga – 28″ – 3″ – SST – Ejectors – Mobilchokes – Box: 1991 – Beretta 626 Onyx- 20ga, 3″, 28″ MobilChokes, Single Selective Trigger, Ejectors, LOP 14-1/2″, Drop 1-3/8″” to 2-1/4″, Weight 6 lbs. 8 oz. Gun is mechanically EXCELLENT Plus. Finish on wood and barrels is clearly original, and 98+%. The finish on the Receiver is a little off, but I don’t know why. It appears to be polished, where these guns are typically matte. It might have been polished, or possibly even blued. Either way, the gun is extremely nice. Price: $2,450.00

A great tribute to a great trainer: Tom Davis on Sherry Ebert…

May 5, 2015May 5, 2015 by Gregg

Sherry Ebert, one the nation's top gundog trainers. From sherryebert.com — Sherry Ebert, one the nation’s top gundog trainers. From sherryebert.com

Back when I first bought Lexi, there was one trainer the breeder recommended to me over and over again: Sherry Ebert.

Sherry is one of the top trainers in the country, and she turns out great bird dogs. Unfortunately, she’s booked up solid. I’ll find wild grouse in Manhattan before I ever get a training slot with her.

You can read more about Sherry Ebert in this great tribute Tom Davis wrote about her in Sporting Classics. And be sure to check out the video below, too. In it, Sherry gives some good tips and advice on training bird dogs.

Sherry Ebert: On Top of the Bird-Dog World for Decades, by Tom Davine, Sporting Classics

In 1963 a 17-year-old New Jersey girl named Sherry married a 21-year-old Pennsylvania man named Harold. Horses she knew, dogs she didn’t, but her husband, a wiry redhead with dreams of making it big in the bird-dog world, was fixing to change that. He took Sherry to Georgia, where since 1959 he’d worked for Fred Bevan, a professional trainer with a considerable reputation and a kennel operation to match.

Soon she was working for Bevan, too—and no employer, ever, got a better two-for-the-price-of-one deal than Fred Bevan did when he hired Harold and Sherry Ray. They worked long hours for short pay, their list of duties and responsibilities was endless, but they were the kind of people who couldn’t bear to leave a job unfinished and knew only one way to do it: the right way…

Read all of: Sherry Ebert: On Top of the Bird-Dog World for Decades, by Tom Davine, Sporting Classics

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

May 3, 2015 by Gregg

*Ggood guns are SxS, O/Us or double rifles with decent original condition and a fair price that have appeared on Gunsinternational.com in the last week .

Griefelt Suhl Double Rifle with claw mount scope 45-70 Caliber: Auto ejectors, weight 10.2 LBS.,doub triggers w/sing sets, Barrels 25 1/2″ with exc bores, DAC 1 3/8″/ DAH2 1/8″ LOP 141/4″ to front trig. Weaver K-2.5 with see through claw mounts. Full Clam Shell Action, cocking indicators, 95% CC and blue. A wonderful Double Rifle in a great caliber. Price: $16,500

LANCASTER 8 BORE UNDERLEVER HAMMER LONDON NITRO PROVED- 13 Lbs. 12 Oz.- 36″ DAMASCUS NP Bbls.- 1882- TOTALLY ORIGINAL PIECE: Price: $11,500 #5156, Charles Lancaster, 151 New Bond St., London, Patent Breech Loader, Choke: A Massive Lancaster Jones Back Action Underlever 8 Bore Rebounding Hammer London Nitro Proved Smoothbore Made in 1882 with Barrels that are 3 Feet Long, .843 .043 & .043″ (Imp.Mod. & Imp.Mod.), 3 1/4″ chambers, Wall thickness on the right barrel at .054″ & .053 on the left, 36″ Damascus Steel London Nitro Proved barrels at 2 1/4 ounce,

Rebounding Hammers, Hinged front trigger, Long top tang that goes nearly to the point of the comb, Splinter forend with a lever release forend, Straight hand stock at 14 x 1 5/8 x 2 1/4″ over the original 3/4″ Silvers pad, Cast-off for the right hand, True 8 Bore weight at 13 lbs. 12 oz., Very nice wood with very nice color and contrast, 10% of nice border engraving, The original barrel browning remains at 70%, Original case colors at 25%, The original wood finish is still at 80%, The checkering at 85%, The wood remains excellent and super sound in every respect, The barrels are excellent inside and out without a pit to be had, The barrels ring with a very pronounced chime. It is cased in the original trunk with the original trade label. This is a very nice serious Big Bore piece that has London nitro proof barrels. It will take you shooting well into the 21st century. Here is the embodiment of 1882 Lancaster Quality; excellent bores, strong wood with nice figure, 8 bore weight, nitro proof barrels and it comes to the hand with ease even with this size and weight plus it balances very well. All these city-light gun writers that try to convince the shooting public that we all need shot barrels that are 3 feet long; here is there piece to grind clay targets into dust. We are working on a source for proper 8 bore loads that already have been used in this nitro proved piece that patterns well at 40 yards with either #5 or 6 shot. Fun stuff here. Price: $11,500

JP SAUER & SOHN – SUHL – MEISTERWERK – MODEL XVIIIE – MADE IN 1939 – 16 GAUGE WITH EJECTORS: Elaborate scroll and game scene engraving. Scalloped frame. Well figured wood with diamond grip. Engraved heel and toe plates. Cocking indicators. Sideclips and arcaded fences. JP Sauer engraved on the barrel bands and heel plate. Top rib is engrved W. Eblen, Stuttgart (a high end gun retailer – Waffen Eblen). Special Krupp “3 ring steel”. Barrels are 27 3/4″. Right bore measures .664 with 20/1000 choke (Mod) while left bore measures .664 as well with 25/1000 choke (Full). Unengraved stock oval. Weight of gun is 6 LBS 7 1/8 OZ. Last image is a scan of the JP Sauer Catalogue from 1938. Shipping is $50. Stock dimensions: LOP – 14 5/8″, Drop at Comb – 1 1/2″, Drop at Heel – 2 1/2″. Price: $11,500

1950 LC Smith Field Grade 410 High Condition: This is a LC Smith field 410 with 28 inch full and modified choke barrels. This gun is 98% case on the receiver 97%, blue on barrels, 80% blue on trigger guard and 97% wood. Small chip in forearm. Serial # is 56057. Second to last known 410 serial number of 56059 on the LC Smith collectors. Price: $7,000

PARKER BROS DHE SXS 12 GA: Serial #190291. Barrel Length: 32″, Chokes F & F. Triggers: DT (Double) Stock: Pistol Grip Foream: Splinter Forearm Rib: Matted Concave Rib. No.2 frame, 1920 gun special ordered with Damascus barrels and French walnut. EXC. Condition. Weight Description 8#4oz. Dimensions 1 1/2 x 2 1/2 x 14 5/8 with 1/8 cast off. This is a very nice unmolested gun, The damascus barrels aree spotless and show no signs of tampering, All finish original, This gun would be ideal for Classic SxS sporting clays shooting. Price $6,500.00

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

March 1, 2015 by Gregg

Parker DHE 28ga SxS Skeet Gun (Remington Era): A beautiful RARE 28ga DHE Skeet gun has 26in barrels skeet in /skeet out has a 00 Frame single trigger Beavertail straight english stock to a checkered butt gorgeous wood one mark otherwis mint silver oval no initials 98% easy case colors and blue. Price: $49,000

BERETTA – SO5 / SO3EELL – Hand Detachable Locks – Checkered Butt – Like New: 1970 – 12ga, 26″, IC / IC (.008 / .011), LOP 14-9/16″, Drop 1-7/16 to 2-3/8, Neutral Cast, Weight 6 lbs. 6 oz. 100% Coverage – Hand Engraved. Hand Detachable Sidelock. Gold Crown Inlay. Pierced Top Lever. Hand Filed Rib. Ivory Sights. Single Selective Trigger. Checkered Butt. Excellent weight and chokes for a 12ga Upland Game Gun. Condition is “Like New.” Price: $8,500

LC SMITH Model 5E SXS 12 GA: Serial #205881, 30″ bbls, F&F, 2 1/2″ chambers, Hunter one trigger, Straight Grip, Splinter Forearm, Matted Concave Rib, Casehardened Receiver, Game Scene Cameos Engraving, Vintage Hawkins pad, EXC. Condition, 7#15oz, 1 1/2″ x 2 5/8″ x 14″ with 1/8 cast off. This is a high condition original gun. Price $8,000

A. H. Fox, A Grade, 20 Gauge, Side-by-Side – Gorgeous: 26″ BARRELS, FULL & MODIFIED, 99% BRIGHT BLUE, MIRROR BORES, TWIN IVORY SIGHTS. ATTRACTIVE DEEP CUT ENGRAVING, SOME BOLD VIVID CASE COLOR. ROUND KNOB GRIP STOCK, BEAVERTAIL FOREARM, ABOUT PERFECT WOOD AND CHECKERING, 100% TRIGGER GUARD BLUE. GREAT DIMENSIONS 1 1/2″ X 2 3/8″ X 14″, 6 POUNDS 2 OUNCES. GORGEOUS LITTLE FOX MADE IN 1922. Price: $6,500

ITHACA 1916 FLUES HAMMERLESS 4E GRADE 12GA. 3″ SHOTGUN 98% PLUS ORIGINAL CONDITION: ITHACA 1916 FLUES 4E GRADE HAMMERLESS 12GA. SHOTGUN,S/N 2719XX. 28″ SOLID RIB BARRELS WITH EXCELLENT BORES AND 2 IVORY BEADS.3″ CHAMBERS,CHOKED MODIFIED (.017) CONSTRICTION AND IMPROVED CYLINDER (.007) CONSTRICTION.99% ORIGINAL BARREL BLUE.FIGURED AMERICAN WALNUT WITH BEAUTIFUL ORIGINAL FLUE DE LEA CHECKERING WITH BLACK TIP FOREARM,PISTOL GRIP CAP AND GOLD SHIELD.L.O.P. IS 14 1/2″ OVER SOLID RUBBER PAD,D.A.H. IS 2 7/8″ AND D.A.C. IS 1 7/8″ WITH NEUTRAL CAST.GUN WEIGHS 7 LBS. ORIGINAL GOLD DOUBLE TRIGGERS WITHOUT ANY WEAR.GUN LOOKS TO HAVE BEEN FIRED EXTREMELY LITTLE.ENGRAVED RECEIVER WITH 85% PLUS ORIGINAL VIVID CASE COLOR REMAINING,HAS DOG AND BIRD SCENES.A SUPER ORIGINAL CONDITION 4E 1916 12GA. SHOTGUN. Price: $4,250

Auction alert: L.C. Smith Crown, Parker AHE & VHE, Fox XE, Winchester 21s..

July 14, 2014July 13, 2014 by Gregg

Alderfer Auction & Appraisal in Hatfield, PA, is having a firearms sale tomorrow, July 15, 2014, @12:00 PM EST. If you’re into American side-by-sides, this is a sale you’ll want to check out. There are nice guns by L.C. Smith, Parker Bros., A.H. Fox, Winchesters, and Ithaca. Here are a few of the ones that caught my eye:

20g LC Smith Crown Grade side by side double barrel shotgun

Lot 120: LC Smith Crown Grade side by side double barrel shotgun: 20 ga. 26″ bbls. IM/Full chokes. SN 6421E. Blued finish on barrels, ejectors, Hunter Selective single trigger, full case colored receiver and locks, side locks are highly engraved with game dog scenes, excellent bores, white bead front and middle sights, middle bead is slightly worn, checkered walnut stock and forend show little to no handling marks, rubber buttplate, top of barrel rib is checkered and is stamped “Made to Order by the Fulton Arms Co Fulton NY”. All serial numbers match. Bore diameter: right – .620, left – .619. Bore restrictions: right – .020, left – .022. Chambers: 2-1/2″. Drop at comb: 1-5/8″, drop at heel: 2-3/4″. Weight: 5 lbs. 10 oz. LOP: 13-5/16″ over 1″ silvers type pad. Estimated Price: $15,000 – $20,000

Lot 121: Parker Bros DHE Grade side by side double barrel shotgun. 20 ga. 32″ bbls. Full/Full chokes. SN 222427. Blued finish on barrels, excellent bores, full case colored engraved receiver showing hunting dog on both sides, ejectors, double triggers, steel bead front sight, white bead middle sight, engraved barrel rib is stamped “Parker Bros Makers Merideth CT USA Titanic Steel”, walnut stock and forend show little to no handling marks, Parker Bros marked black pistol grip cap, leather buttpad. All serial numbers match. Bore diameter: right – .622, left – .622. Bore restrictions: right – .027, left – .026. Chambers: 2-3/4″. Drop at comb: 1-5/8″, drop at heel: 2-5/8″. Weight: 6 lbs. 15 oz. LOP: 14-5/16″ over 1-1/4″ leather covered pad. Estimated Price: $6,000 – $10,000

20g Parker Bros BHE Grade side by side double barrel shotgun

Lot 122: Parker Bros BHE Grade side by side double barrel shotgun. 20 ga. 25-7/8″ bbls. Skeet/IM chokes. SN 166563. Reblued finish on barrels, barrels have been shortened by a little bit, single bead steel front sight, nearly full case colored receiver, receiver is highly engraved with a pair of hunting dogs on both sides, bores are slightly dirty but look good, double triggers, straight grip checkered walnut stock and forend show very minor handling marks, barrel rib is stamped “Parker Bros Makers Meriden Conn ACME Steel”, original skeleton buttplate. All serial numbers match. Bore diameter: right – .625, left – .628. Bore restrictions: right – .004, left – .021. Chambers: 2-3/4″. Drop at comb: 1-7/8″, drop at heel: 3-1/2″. Weight: 5 lbs. 14 oz. LOP: 14″ over skeleton butt. Estimated Price: $12,000 – $16,000

28g Parker Bros AHE Grade side by side double barrel shotgun

Lot 123: Parker Bros AHE Grade side by side double barrel shotgun. 28 ga. 26″ bbls. Modified/Full chokes. SN 188861. Original blued finish on metal, over 70% original case color, “00” frame, some very small spots of light oxidation on underside of receiver, checkered walnut stock and forend show handling marks with a few being deep, receiver shows quail game scene on left side and pheasant scene on right, underside engraving shows hunting dog, barrel rib is stamped “Parker Bros Makers Meriden Conn ACME Steel”, lever mechanism sometimes sticks preventing the gun from closing, simply pushing lever to the right allows gun to close, single steel bead front sight, double triggers, skeleton buttplate. All serial numbers match. Bore diameter: right – .560, left – .556. Bore restrictions: right – .016, left – .023. Chambers: 2-1/2″. Drop at comb: 1-5/8″, drop at heel: 2-5/8″. Weight: 5 lbs. 4 oz. LOP: 14-1/16″ over skeleton buttplate. Estimated Price: $30,000 – $40,000

Lot 125: AH Fox XE Grade side by side double barrel shotgun. 12 ga. 30″ bbls. Modified/Full chokes. SN 25397. Blued finish on barrels, excellent bores, Kautzky single selective trigger, white bead front and middle sights, highly engraved receiver shows grouse scene on left side, duck scene on right and a fox scene on underside, approximately 40% of case color remaining, checkered walnut stock shows little to no handling marks, right side of stock does have a small stress crack just behind receiver, appears to be restocked but the forearm appears to be original, after market rubber buttpad. Slight dent in left barrel forward of forend. Left side barrel is stamped “Made by AH Fox Gun Co Phila PA USA”, right side barrel is stamped “Chromox Fluid Compressed Steel”. All serial numbers match. Bore diameter: right – .731, left – .730. Bore restrictions: right – .023, left – .039. Chambers: 2-1/2″. Drop at comb: 2″, drop at heel: 3-1/8″. Weight: 7 lbs. 7 oz. LOP: 14″ over 1″ Old English pad. Very good. Estimated Price: $3,000 – $5,000

28g Parker Bros VHE Grade side by side double barrel shotgun

Lot 137: Parker Bros VHE Grade side by side double barrel shotgun. 28 ga. 26″ bbls. Skeet/M chokes. SN 145394. Blued finish on barrels, little to no case color left on receiver, newer checkered walnut stock by Remington and forend show little to no handling marks, bores are slightly dirty but look good, double triggers, steel bead front sight, black pistol-grip cap has the engraved name of prior owner, checkered black plastic buttplate is intact. All serial numbers match. Barrel rib is stamped “Parker Brothers Makers Meriden Conn Vulcan Steel”. Bore diameter: right – .556, left – .559. Bore restrictions: right – .004, left – .012. Chambers: 2-3/4″. Weight: 6 lbs. 10 oz. 0 Frame. Excellent. Estimated Price: $6,000 – $12,000

Lot 138: Ithaca Grade 4E side by side double barrel shotgun. 16 ga. 30″ bbls. Full/Modified chokes. SN 326745. Blued finish on metal, full case colored receiver, receiver shows a few small areas of light freckling, bores are very dirty, underside of barrel shows an area where the factory sling attachment has been removed and stock shows a hole where the sling stud would have been, double triggers have an oxidized green finish, checkered walnut stock and forend show handling marks, factory black plastic buttplate shows minor chips. All serial numbers match. Estimated Price: $500 – $900

At auction: a “holy cr@p” L.C. Smith, 8g, Grade 4…

September 30, 2011September 30, 2011 by Gregg

Eight gauge L.C. Smiths are rare double barrel shotguns. I don’t know the exact figures on how many were made, but I bet it’s under 50 all together. These side by sides were made as waterfowlers, hunting that can be hard on guns, so mot of the one I’ve seen have been in fair condition. This one at in Julia’s upcoming auction is pretty typical. The one pictured below is not.

That gun is a Gr. 4 (1 of 2 made). It has 32″ barrels and it’s nearly-new, original condition. Spectacular. Best of all, a place called Laughlin Auctions in Edinburg, VA, is auctioning it off this weekend. So if you have to have it, go for it. Be prepared to go deep, though. This gun is attracting a lot of serious attention. I wouldn’t be surprised if it went for $25,000+. There’s been a lot of discussion about this gun. Click here for the thread.

8g L.C. Smith Gr. 4 shotgun, 32″ bbls