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

Fantastic August Francotte XXV 16ga best quality sidelock game gun - Ultra lightweight Game Gun that is stone new and stunningly gorgeous
Fantastic August Francotte XXV 16ga best quality sidelock game gun – Ultra lightweight Game Gun that is stone new and stunningly gorgeous

Fantastic August Francotte XXV 16ga best quality sidelock game gun – Ultra lightweight Game Gun that is stone new and stunningly gorgeous: Stone cold gorgeous 16ga August Francotte 16ga game gun made with straight stock, double triggers, auto ejectors, splinter forend, and original beautifully checkered butt.  Case hardened action is near fully engraved in beautiful floral scroll pattern as seen in the photos.  Stunning straight grained European Walnut with fiddleback that is just so pretty!  Overall the gun remains in near mint original condition with virtually all original refinish remaining on both wood and metal surfaces.  The gun would make an outstanding woodcock and grouse gun!  Mechanics are crips, bores are brilliant and shiny.  Gun is tight as new. Price: $11,950

J & W Tolley 4 Bore – 1895, 95% CASE COLOR
J & W Tolley 4 Bore – 1895, 95% CASE COLOR

J & W Tolley 4 Bore – 1895, 95% CASE COLOR: 15lbs 12oz, Serial Number: 7804. J. & W. Tolley was an English gunmaker of some notoriety, mostly noted for large bore waterfowlers.  From about 1894 through 1903 they occupied a London address and that was when this gun was made.  Tolley guns became known for their quality in 1894 with their appointment as gunmakers to the King of Portugal and to the Persian Royal family.  These are not casual appointments, and the quality can be seen in their guns from the London address after 1894.  This amazing find is a FULLY FACTORY ORIGINAL, HIGH CONDITION, UNTOUCHED single barrel hammer gun with a Jones Underlever locking system produced by J & W Tolley 126 years ago.  The serial number (7804) and proof marks on the bottom of the barrel indicates a manufacture date of 1895.  The action retains 85% factory case color with some fading, nice border engraving with screws and breech area nicely but sparsely decorated.  The underlever and full tang trigger guard retain 95% vivid factory case colors.  The Jones underlever is known for its robust lock-up, and the barrels are tight on the breech face as a new gun.  The 38” fluid steel barrel has excellent mirror bore, 4” chamber, .940 bore diameter with extra full choke 52 thou restriction, and a minimum barrel wall thickness of .106”!  Barrel has normal and numerous light handling marks and 85% factory blue.  The mechanics are excellent, with a crisp trigger, strong springs, and perfect screws.  The fit of wood to metal is impeccable, and the checkering shows almost no wear.  The stock measurements are     14 9/16” LOP with a drop at heel of 2 ¾”.  WE HAVE PRESENTED THIS GUN IN “AS FOUND CONDITION” WITHOUT CLEANING OR ALTERING THE GUN.  We generally prescribe to cleaning up checkering and replacing decrepit butt pads before showing the gun, but some collectors prefer to choose what cleaning should be done.  We did function check the entire gun and it is awesome.  If you want service done to the gun we can arrange that with our gunsmith department and get the work done without delay.  The gun is a BEAST when brought to shoulder…IT IS A BEHEMOTH!  Weighing 15 3/4lbs. and balanced 2½” in front of the hinge pin, this is a gun that could be fired from the shoulder but was likely rested in the punt boat on a sack of grain.  There is a rear flip-up sight used to line up on the flock of waterfowl this gun was made to decimate, one shot at a time.  These are rare guns in 4 bore and to find a waterfowler in this high factory original condition is a treasure found.Price: $9,950.00

Parker Repro DHE - 28ga - 28” & 26” - M/F & IC/M - 99% Condition - Double Trigger - Skeleton Buttplate - Pistol Grip - Beavertail Forend
Parker Repro DHE – 28ga – 28” & 26” – M/F & IC/M – 99% Condition – Double Trigger – Skeleton Buttplate – Pistol Grip – Beavertail Forend

Parker Repro DHE – 28ga – 28” & 26” – M/F & IC/M – 99% Condition – Double Trigger – Skeleton Buttplate – Pistol Grip – Beavertail Forend: Factory Canvas Dust Cover over Leather Factory Case SPECS:  14 7/8″ LOP x 1 3/8″ DAC x 2 1/4″ DAH – 5 lbs 12 ozs – SN: 28-3196 Price: $8,995 

JOSEPH LANG SIDELOCK 12G DOUBLE BARREL SHOTGUN
JOSEPH LANG SIDELOCK 12G DOUBLE BARREL SHOTGUN

JOSEPH LANG SIDELOCK 12G DOUBLE BARREL SHOTGUN: Gun is in great original condition. Model: 2nd Quality Sidelock Caliber Info: 12 Gauge Ejectors: Yes Condition: Preowned Metal Condition: Very Good Barrels: 28″ Action: Sidelock Triggers: Double Gauge: 12 Gauge Stock Comb: 1 3/8″ Stock Heel: 2 1/4″ Fore End: Checkered LOP: 14 5/8″ Rib: Game Weight: 6.5 LBS Chokes: IC/M Case: Leather Luggage Price: $6,500

Rizzini Artemis 28 Gauge OU Double Barrel Shotgun
Rizzini Artemis 28 Gauge OU Double Barrel Shotgun

Rizzini Artemis 28 Gauge OU Double Barrel Shotgun: Gorgeous baby frame Rizzini Artemis, 29″ barrels with 5 factory choke tubes, 6 Custom Briley choke tubes were $500, Grade 5 wood–pics don’t do it, Original wood recoil pad, 14″ LOP. 5lbs 12oz, A delight to hold & swing, 2 rounds of trap went thru barrels, Mint condition. Price: $3,500

A quick post: Rare Browning 12g BSS Sporter, 28″ bbls, straight grip…

Browning BSS Sporter, Staight grip, 12 gauge, 28" barrels
Browning BSS Sporter, Staight grip, 12 gauge, 28″ barrels

OK, so I’m still buried at work. But I saw this Browning pop up and I wanted to get it up for everyone to check out. It’s a 12 gauge Browning BSS Sporter with 28″ barrels.

Browning BSS shotguns were made in that period when every American want short barrels. So 98% of the ones you see out there have 26″ barrels – especially the Sporters (the ones with straight stocks, rather than pistol grips). BSS are modern guns, and they’re made with moderns steel and meant to be used with modern ammo. So this one here is pretty worry free. The only thing you might want to do is open the chokes a bit for steel ammo. Other than that, it’s ready for the field, and just about anything that flies you way.

Browning BSS Sporter, Staight grip, 12 gauge, 28" barrels
Browning BSS Sporter, Staight grip, 12 gauge, 28″ barrels

Browning BSS Sporter, Staight grip: Price: $1,899.99

Manufacturer: 1984
Caliber: 12 Gauge
Chambers: 3
Metal Condition: Very Good
Wood Condition: Very Good
Bore Condition: Very Good
Barrels: 28
Triggers: Single Selective
Stock Dimensions: 1 5/8″ DAC, 2 1/2″ DAH, 14 1/4″ LOP
Butt Pad: Factory Butt Plate
Weight: 7 lb. 10 oz.
Chokes: Full/Modified
Extras: Box

Great duck gun alert: a 12 gauge Browning BSS with 28″ barrels…

12 gauge Browning BSS, Double Barrel Shotgun, 28" barrels
12 gauge Browning BSS, Double Barrel Shotgun, 28″ barrels

When it comes to duck hunting, pumps and autoloaders are the shotguns you’re most likely to share space with in a blind. If you do see a double, it’s probably an O/U working. So if you prefer side-bys-sides, you may think you don’t have any options.

Fortunately you do, and  this Browning BSS is one of them. It’s also about as good a duck gun as you’ll ever find. With 28″ barrels, a reliable single trigger, and enough beef to soak up heavy rounds, it can deliver the medicine to just about anything you can decoy in.

12 gauge Browning BSS, Double Barrel Shotgun, 28" barrels
12 gauge Browning BSS, Double Barrel Shotgun, 28″ barrels

Wondering about steel shot? Don’t worry. From what I’ve been told, the barrels on a Browning BSS should be fine with steel loads in the smaller shot sizes. Just be sure the chokes are open enough to handle it (I’ve been told that Modified is as tight as you should go).

Here’s more about this shotgun from the seller:

12 gauge Browning BSS Side-by-Side Double-Barrel Shotgun: 28″ Mod & Full 3″ chambers, single select trigger, ejectors, Beavertail, Pistol Grip, Excellent Condition with Light Blue Wear, Light Handling Marks. 7lb 10oz X 2 3/8 X 1 1/2 X 14 1/4. Price: $1,295.00

12 gauge Browning BSS, Double Barrel Shotgun, 28" barrels
12 gauge Browning BSS, Double Barrel Shotgun, 28″ barrels

An rare 8 gauge by Alexander McComas…

Alexander McComas, Gunmaker, Case Label
Alexander McComas, Gunmaker, Case Label

The Chesapeake Bay used to be one of the greatest places in the world to hunt waterfowl. Massive flocks of ducks, geese, and swans used to settle on its waters every fall, and as the birds passed through, hunters were waiting. These hunters used all sorts of firearms, and the more prosperous ones used fancy 8 gauges like the toplever, breechloading Alexander McComas you see here.

8 gauge Alexander McComas Toplever Double Barrel Shotgun
8 gauge Alexander McComas Toplever Double Barrel Shotgun

Alexander McComas was born on February 27, 1821 and he opened a shop on July 1843, at 51 South Calvert Street, Baltimore, MD. His first firearms were percussion guns, especially big bores for the local waterfowlers. By the time the breechloading era took over in the 1860s, McComas was well known  up and down the eastern seaboard for his high quality firearms.

8 gauge Alexander McComas Toplever Double Barrel Shotgun
8 gauge Alexander McComas Toplever Double Barrel Shotgun

He was especially famous for his duck guns, and on these shotguns McComas preferred to use Jones-patent underlever actions. But as toplever actions started to appear in the 1870s, some shooters wanted them on their new duck guns. To meet this new market, McComas did what every smart business person does: He made what his customers wanted.

The toplever 8 gauge that you see here was probably “made” by Alexander McComas in the 1880s. I say “made” because I’m not sure how much of this shotgun was actually made in America. To my eye, a lot of this side-by-side looks German. I wonder if McComas ordered it complete from Europe, or sourced the barrels and action from the continent and then finished the shotgun in Maryland.

8 gauge Alexander McComas Toplever Double Barrel Shotgun
8 gauge Alexander McComas Toplever Double Barrel Shotgun

This kind of outsourcing was very popular in America at the time and a lot of the early side-by-side shotguns being “made” over here were actually built in England and throughout Europe.