doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Dakin Gun Co --20 gauge

Is anyone able to tell me about Dakin Gun Co? My father in law just gave me a gun that he's had in the safe for about 35 years and has never shot. It says "made in Spain" on the barrel,Dakin Gun Co Kansas City Missouri. no model,boxlock, straight stock,22" barrels. double triggers,splinter, barrels read choke 15.3 15.7 on one, 15.7 on the other, 291 stamped on each part I'm assuming is serial #. I looked on GunBroker just now and a different gun was for sale stating that it was made by Armera.

Any help?

Union Armera, water table code UA. Dakin imported them from the fifties to I don't know when. Are they now Grulla? I think so. They weren't too bad then and are even better now.

Sounds like a cylinder bore right & a modified left (.016" choke). Would personally prefer bbls no shorter than 26", but should be a useful gun never-the-less.

Was this the gun marketed as a "Quail's Fargo" model at one time? That's the only factory 22" barreled double I can remember until the Cowboy Action stuff began, except for the V. Bernardelli "Slug" series.

I owned a SL Dakin 20 gauge SxS. It was made in Spain by Union Armera, and stamped with the Grulla stork- on the watertable, IIRC. It was also marked 'No. 215'. For all intents and purposes, it was a Grulla 215 grade. I believe that it was made in the early 60s. Not a bad gun at all.

Found a nicely engraved sliding breech shotgun a few years ago on consignment. The dealer said it was a Darne, but was marked Dakin where Darne places their name. The stock had been cut for a recoil pad.

I walked away, then called back and made an offer which was refused. I was a bit relieved as I shortly thereafter found a nice genuine Darne in 28 ga, with more delicate engraving that would not chew on your hand as the deep engraving on the Dakin(Darne) in 12 ga.

I tried researching the Dakin co and could not find much info, except that they had been an importing company in San Francisco.

Not all Spanish Dakins were made by Union Armera/Grulla. They also imported less expensive guns, I believe by Zabala. The mark would be a ZH on the watertable.

I have a Dakin model and price sheet from 60's, Fred. Be happy to send you a photocopy. PM me with a mailing address if you wish.

jack

Dakin was located somewhere in the midwest, before the San Francisco location. I can't remember where. Sorry.

Dakin also imported Antonio Zoli shotguns, which were marked with Dakin Arms Co., San Francisco. The Antonio Zoli marks were on the barrel flats and the water table. I have a boxlock 20 gauge sxs, 26", selective single trigger, ejctors, pistol grip, beavertail forearm, vent rib model. If I recall correctly, it was a Dakin Arms model 160.

The early 60s Gun Digests have a breakdown of the Dakin models in the European Shotguns index. Not all are photographed. If you can provide a comprehensive description of the shotgun, I'll try to pin the Dakin model number down for you.

[img][/img]

Dakin 215 Showing Union Armeras and Grulla Crane.
I have also owned a Dakin .410 SXS that was a Zoli as noted by 40x.

Ken