doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com New & Looking for 1st sxs

I have a Nice late Baker with steel bbls and English grip that may fit your need.

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All the suggestions so far are good ones.

The one I'll add to the mix is the Ithaca/skb doubles that were made by skb and imported by Ithaca. Thay are reliable and for the most part priced right. The model 100 is single trigger pistol grip and you should be able to find a nice one for no more than $800.00 The 280 is English grip and a little harder to find and you will more than likely have to pay a little more for it than the 100.

The one thing to watch for on these is the wood cracking at the scallops where the head meets the action. These were prone to cracking there but if you once a year or so will tighten the thru bolt and keep it tightend up, it will give years of good service.

Be carefull SxS's are addictive and all you will do is want more!

The Ithaca/skb Model 100 is the sleeper, in my book.

I do have some legit quality guns but my prejudice for functional peasant guns is something of the Baikal family - which is cheap. I got a couple for around $295-plus and I have three, two 12's and a 20. If you want a straight stock just saw the pistol grip off, sand and file to rough shape being sure to reduce checkering and prepare to make a longer buttpad.

This straight stock shape should be longer than what can be made from a standard Baikal, unless you are short armed, small, or effectively short armed by virtue of being thick-chested front to rear with heavy arms. I will try solid Gabon ebony for my Basikal's butt though it's weight must be considered. A stock thus cut straight would be short but fine for cold weather shooting over garments or warmer weather with a padded shooting jacket. If you want two stock lengths get two guns and chop away. Ken Hurst can recommend people to do checkering as well as the modifications. A temporary close-enough chop job will give you a feel for the fit after which suggestions can be made to a stockman.

Barrels on double trigger Baikals from Remington (or EAA marked before that) apparently are 28" only. That is the first way to go. If you can unscramble your mind and coordination in using double triggers it will be good mental conditioning. It's also a low cost way to start.

Stroud,

You are about to discover that 92% of the fun is in the looking. Let me give you some basic advice. Buy quality first, condition second and the rest will take care of itself. Buy a gun that fits your needs with as little changes as possible. Changes cost money. Straight grip can be made from pistol grips if you are willing to do it yourself.

Quick list to search. All modern metals, demensions and solid shooters.
Ithaca NID
Lefever Nitro Specials
Lefever DS
Ithaca SKBs 100 and 280
Fox Sterlingworth - Late model by Savage
Hunter Arms
Hugululululas or how every you spell it.
When you get more advanced you will like guild guns from Germany and France but might be too advanced for now. Mostly in 16's.
Sorry I was never a Bikal fan but you might like them.

Forget Lefevers, F, G, H, grades. Too old for modern loads and most do not have steel barrels.
Forget Parkers- far above your price range.
Forget cheap Spanish doubles. Unless you know what you are looking at too great a chance of getting a repair problem. Some were called POS and that did not mean Pride of Spain. Guns from the 60 and 70's were not the best quality too often.

Here is one to look at Cabella NID #480324, go to advertisers on this site, go to Cabellas site and take a look. Decent shooter, in your price range. Do not know what the chokes are but drop them a phone call and find out.

Remember a 30" double is no longer than a 26" Auto or pump. The action is not behind the barrel like on a auto so the overall gun is much shorter. Hence a 30" double swings much nicer than you would expect and weight can be kept to about 7 pounds. Light guns are easy to carry but not to shoot and certainally no fun with heavy hunting loads.

I gotta nearly mint 12 bore Simson, 28" Mod&Full made in '51 if you are interested. Chopper

If you aren't prejudice against cheekpeices and slingswivels a post war JP Sauer is about as much gun as you will get for the money cited. Your pheasant hunting requirement can be met by either a 12 or 16ga.

Let's see, you have a 20ga O/U, a 3-1/2" BPS for waterfowl (is that a 12 or a 10?),

Seems to me what you need is a 16ga SxS to fill your upland needs. For $900 you should be able to find a great little German 16 w/28" bbls (not many Germans around with 26" bbls). Probably won't be a straight grip though and it may have 2-1/2" chambers but ammo is readily available for it. Most people would call them "Guild Guns" with no makers name (at the Vintagers the German Gun Collectors held a symposium at which Herr Appel declared there was no such thing as a "Guild Guns") or they may have a retailers name like Kettner. It may have some wear but if it's in good working order it's a bargain and if you take care of it, it will take care of you.

CZ.