doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Charles Hellis Boxlock

Just got this gun in hand today.

First thing I noticed is that I expect it was set up for a left hand shooter. See the pics of the top open lever. It looks to be worn to the left but actually the end of the opener where you place your thumb on it has been bent left. I expect to decrease the throw using a left thumb. This is the first I have ever seen done in this manner.

If you look at the pic of the bottom trigger guard there is significant cast-on.

Interestingly the chokes on the right are open and the left full.

Wondering if I should have the stock bent for cast off as I am a right handed shooter and this gun is to be used as a shooter?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/146168803@N08/32487936692/in/album-72157676147183414/

Well, good on ya
FIRST I would shoot it and see if in some magical way it fits, and is comfortable to shoot as is.
Damasks shotguns by Jay Greening, on Flickr
Mike

Ok, so,, let me start this by saying, don't tell my wife. The small stock dents in the stock can be raised with the steamer on an espresso coffee maker should you have one. I am aware that an iron, steam and cloth are known, but..
You just have to wait until she has gone to work. Let the coffee steamer get up to pressure and then blast the dent. It will take awhile. The changes are magic.

Pretty gun. My catalog is from the 1950s, so I cannot help with the model.

Joe

You bought a gun and there was no mention of it being cast for the left hand? The seller didn't notice? You didn't ask for stock dimensions?
It would seem the simple thing to do would be to SEND IT BACK. Find one that is cast for the right hand. Good Lord, they aren't rare.
Wood is one of those things that doesn't improve with age. I am aware of no stock benders who will warrant that your stock won't break on an attempted bend.

Good luck.

Best,
Ted

Or return to it's original bend in a few years....

I checked your other pictures and what I see are double triggers and choking (as described by you) for a right handed shooter.

The top lever looks to be off center from wear. The forearm looks to be cracked across and the rib next to the breech has some bad dents.

Whats the bolt of screw on the side of the stock up from the pistol grip ?

Ever see the movie Forrest Gump ?




Run Forrest run.

I have a similar boxlock and the stock was never bent, it was cut from the blank that way. The way you can tell is by removing the trigger guard and seeing how the inletting for the trigger plate was clearly offset. I would look at that before making any major decisions unless you would be willing to consider a restock.

Trigger lock bolt.

That's a tired gun, how are the barrels?

jOe,

Note that the flicker account was put up by the seller and has both a Hellis and a VH Parker on it.

The top lever looks off but it is not. It has been bent to the left as my first post mentions. I think the forearm you may be looking at is the Parker. The Hellis forearm although worn on the bottom is otherwise in good shape. Yes the rib has some dents. Looks like someone used it as a hammer as I'm not sure how those dents could have come to be. The bolt on the stock is a pic of the Parker.

Sorry if others were confused as well.

Ted,

For a gun under $500 you can't ask too many questions especially if the seller doesn't know much about old doubles, as is this case. Ask most people who own doubles how much their gun is cast-on or off. They maybe able to tell you which side but I don't think many have the means or understanding to measure how much. And I who understands it do not have the setup to measure it. The Hellis does seem to be a bit rare in this configuration. The only ones I could find that were close and for sale are in England.

What a good idea! I can't wait to try it!

Regards
Ken

I assume you bought the gun in Canada. Prices realized for guns in Canada seem to run a bit lower than, say, here, correct? Have you been on a life long pursuit of a Hellis boxlock, and finally found the gun of your dreams, or, did you buy it because it was cheap? Rare doesn't always matter, no matter what you hear on Pawn Stars.
Could you sell it, in Canada, for more than $500, as is? If the answer is a good, strong maybe, get rid of it, and find something that fits without too much work.
Project guns are a slippery slope, and seldom come to be a sound area for your money to hang around in. If the gun were new, without the tired look, the rib dents, the wrong way stock, I'd tell you to make it fit.
It isn't. I won't.

Again, Good luck.

Best,
Ted