doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com How did you get into SxS's...

Ain�t that rich? This coming from the freeloading masochist, Mr. Mcfeeley doppelg�nger, who keeps coming back for more beatdowns and making stupid comments absolutely no one cares about and rarely responds to. You�re a fugazi, BrentD. A poser. Pony up to Dave, quit spreading counterfeit discontent and quit running your jibs. That�d be swell. Probably wont happen, you�re just too stupid to quit.

Just to stay on topic... :-)

History. Being a huge fan of history and spending much of my childhood on Europe, I was always fascinated with history. Had a couple old coworkers that got me into shooting, just so happened they both shot old guns. One of them had an entire library of gun books and dgj�s....I started reading, learning, and the love of doubles sprouted from that. I was 22 years old when this happened. It�s slowed down quite a bit but the interest is still there and I still like to get my learn on with some very knowledgeable gunmakers that I�m very privileged to hang out with. Still shoot and hunt with sxs�s...but I use o/u�s, pumps, and autos too. Some old (my eldest is 135 years old) some young & modern. It�s all good.

I bet I know one of the gunmakers you hang out with Dustin, and he�s one of the best, if not the best stock maker there is. I�m guessing it�s a pleasure watching him perform his craft.

I served at the American Embassy in India for three years in the late 1980�s. My landlord was Indian Army Major General D.K. (Monty) Palit, former chief of operations of the India Army (during the Indo-China War), Sandhurst in the 1930�s, WWII Indian Army veteran, and noted military author. He was from an upper-class Indian family which had adopted British customs when it came to gun-sport (late 1880�s on). (His father, a Bangali, had been a Medical Doctor). He had 5 doubles on his wall passed down by his father and grandfather, I believe they were: a 12ga Holland & Holland, a 12ga E.M. Reilly, a 16ga possibly Army-Navy, one I�m not sure of and a 20ga. William Evans.

I had a CJ-7 Jeep in New Delhi at that time; he had the hunting permits; and we went out often in the Falls of those three years, hunting ducks, dove and quail in the brilliant yellow mustard fields of Uttar Pradesh on the Gangetic plain. He used his H&H; I used my Remington 870 - a pump I'd used for many years (I had a Browning automatic in Pakistan but had sold it there in 1978 before I left) - something he informed me one didn�t do in polite society (I countered that in Alabama we might have a dog�here he had 5 shikaris and a couple of servers cleaning the birds and making duck-curry sandwiches�different places, different solutions). But the idea that I needed a SxS became fixed�even more so when he gifted my wife the 20ga William Evans as we left country. Since that time, I held dozens of English SxS�s. Nothing felt right.

Gen. Palit's books and obituary:
https://www.amazon.com/D.-K.-Palit/e/B001IC8QPK
http://www.india-seminar.com/2008/586/586_in_memoriam.htm

Then at a gun show in November 2015 I went out to buy a Thompson...and a Reilly hammer gun just stuck to my hand. It was 6 lbs 1oz, chambered for 2 1/2; 30� Damascus barrels; twin triggers; no ejectors; with that beautifully slim upper stock and receiver that comes with hammer guns - It was similar to the General�s E.M. Reilly as I remembered it; Perhaps I had imprinted on that gun? But whatever It felt like a rapier, while everything else now seemed like battle-axes. The seller had about 15 guns from very high-quality makers. He said I was the only person ever to show interest in the Reilly. He insisted on my shooting it..I did and couldn�t part with it..It had some imperfections; it wasn�t pristine, had been worked on; I paid too much but it was my gun.

I've since gotten into researching the Reilly. And from this board I got interested in French Saint-Etienne guns. I've bought a few more, all of them used regularly...none very expensive. If truth be told, that old 1978 870, now given to youngest son, can probably shoot better than my SxS's... But I just like the feel of the wood and the look of the barrels of that Reilly.

You know it, Buzz. Hope you�re staying warm!!

I'm happy to round and round with you Short Fuse. Not a problem. You can even call me whatever names you want. I'm still not going to pay Dave a nickel and I will continue to recommend that no one else should either. So far, he doesn't much seem to care. But you sure love to speak for him. So, nope, not going to happen. If you or Frank or whomever want to take a swing at me, I'll happily oblige with a response. Count on it. In fact, you inspire me to make some sort of signature block about it. Why not? I'll have to do that soon. Thanks for provoking the idea.

and
"Just to stay on topic... :-)"

You, Shorty, should especially love that my first double gun was a Merkel. I still have and use that gun on a regular basis. It is every bit as reliable and functional as the Merkel reputation claims it should be. As ugly as you find it, and I admit, it does have that certain Teutonic profile that the English guns so nicely avoid, but as they say, "Beauty is as beauty does," and it was very affordable. Not to mention, coming from an 870, just about any decent double looks good.

Later, I discovered used guns, had the time to search for them and learn about them, a bit more pocket change to buy them, and I learned how to fix many things that I didn't think I could deal with back when I bought the Merk.

So there you have it. Shall we dance? your call.

See what I mean^^^^ ... you�re a really special kinda stupid. . It�s hilarious actually. :-). Thanks.

glad you think so. That way, we are both happy. How can you complain?

But you will.

I do think so. So does everyone else. No complaints here. In the meantime...try working on losing the boards address. Be nice for you to find a place you�re wanted.

Shorty, someday you will get over yourself. But it may be a while. In the meantime, save some love for those Teutonic guns. They have their good points. Then maybe you will find it possible to expand to other acts of beneficence. It could even become a positive feedback thing for you. No telling where it would take you. Try it.

Carry on.

my father gave me his iver johnsom herc 12a 30" mod/full SR DT.
then i got one in on trade.
i offloaded some pistols and rifles for it.
shot it.
ok.
bought a friends collection prior to him going into nursing care.
skb 100's and 200's.
tried to like them. sold them. bought a farm tractor.
im not addicted to any of them. that includes semi's or o&u. if something more important comes up.....they go.
I have a few more models i'm fond of. would I like them? yes. but at my age, I have to ask, why?