doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com The most beautiful shotgun?

Ted, I was thinking of higher grade examples and the basic Darne design in the larger context of French culture over the last couple hundred years. Yours is a tip of the hat to modern tastes, which is probably why, in part, the gun is still around. I've heard nothing but good things about them from a functionality standpoint. I hear they handle very well, mental adjustments to breech function notwithstanding. I expect to be going through that myself soon with my recent purchase of a husky-influenced belgian side lever hammergun.

Leaving the key open? How about designing a safety that actually works?

I think the guys at Darne looked at a Greener and said "Can we design a safety that's even more of a pain in the derriere to use?"

Hahaha

Of course, I'm poking fun.

I've owned two Darnes. While they're neat, they're not for me.

The most beautiful? Hardly. An all orginal pre-WW1 H&H Royal is hard to beat. Although I hate their short triggerguards. They just look cheap to me.

Maybe a Boss with the double-bead action, or a real nice Lang & Hussey / H.J Hussey Imperial. Husseys can be beautiful guns.

Take care,

OWD

De gustibus non est disputandum!

JC

P.S.: I tend to mistrust those who trust their safeties. JC

You'll get no quarrel from me regarding an HJ Hussey Imperial.

Ted and I don't see 'eye to eye' on everything but Darnes is one of them along with Ithaca Model 37's. My first Darne was a 12 bore R10 and if truth be known, it was the best of the lot factoring in the price i paid for it used($260USD) in 1976. In any event Ted supplied my third, a Bruchet 16 gauge, that I would not part with as its as perfect as a Darne can get. It was designed as a grouse gun by me, Ted and Bruchet.-Dick

GJZ that looks like a nice gun, can you take a closer shot of the action?

Darnes are for bird hunters. I have a Ted Schefelbein imported Bruchet built Darne R-15 20 gauge that is a straight up bird killing machine. Its long slender barrels, perfect balance make shooting birds in any presentation a piece of cake. Most Darnes people see in this U.S. are pretty plain, rarely do you see one that is built to the "best" standards. How many of you have actually held a Bruchet built Darne in your hands? Not many. Most people who "try out" a Darne don't know how to properly work the action, therefore manipulation of the action seems very awkward. When you get used to it...its as slick as butter, and if you practice....the Darne can be faster to load than a traditional barn hinged shotgun. Another plus....they dont shoot loose....EVER. Bollocks with all the complaining about Darne safeties and Greener safeties...a couple minutes of practice and they become second nature.

Say, that is nice English shotgun. Like the name too as it rhymes with pu...
When I was taking english as kid in europe p.... stood for a little cat, but here....lets just say I got embarrased when the subject came up for the first time.

Everytime I look at good pictures of that R15 engraving, I get a little lump in my throat...Cause' that gun FIT ME TOO!!!!

Folks, that is one of two left-handed Darnes I have ever seen-the other, is my plain, old, 1946 vintage R10, and it was re-fitted that way, not ordered new that way.

Dustin, email me with details of the Darne 12-dying to know what's up.

Barn hinge....describes PERFECTLY the antiques that most folks here shoot...prone to a sloppy knuckle well before they should be...I tell you Regis, this world was never meant for one as beautiful as you, with apologies to Don McLain.

Best,
Ted