doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com C. Masquelier, Paul Jaeger O/U Information?

Greetings,

I just registered and this is my first post so please bear with me. I have owned and shot several older American made SxS doubles for years. I have always wanted an O/U but have never been able to find one that seemed to fit me well.

A week or so ago I had to have a firing pin replaced in my N.I.D. Ithaca 16 gauge and lo and behold over in the corner of the gunsmith's place was a 20 gauge Masquelier O/U made in Belgium for Paul Jaeger Jenkintown, PA. I shouldered this gun and at that point the die was cast. I had to have it. I went home and tried to do a search online and I found precious little information on this maker. In my younger days my first job after returning from Vietnam was in Jenkintown around the corner from Paul Jaegers shop. Many a lunch hour was spent wandering around his place drooling over the fine custom rifles being produced there. Even at my young age I realized that I was in the presence of someone and something special and rare indeed. The next day I went and purchased this gun. I paid more for this gun than I care to admit but what price love? A Google search revealed this site:

http://www.littlegun.be/arme%20belge/artisans%20identifies%20m%20o/a%20masquelier%20gb.htm

As it turns out the very gun shown in the second set of photos is the very gun that I have purchased. How it ended up being on that site is beyond me and remains a mystery.

If anyone here can help me with any more information concerning build quality, choke determination, age, etc. I would be very thankful.

Dave

Without verifying the serial number I would hesitate to say it is your same gun. They also made very similar guns, but more highly engraved and with better wood and finish, for Charles Daly in the 1930's. There are several owned by members on this bbs. I have one in 90%+ condition in 16 gauge. Same basic mechanics, but with added finish and features, full case coloring, ejectors, nice wood, etc.

Holy cow! My name is also Dave and my first real job after getting out of the army and finishing college back then was at Old York Rd. and Greenwood (around the corner from Jaeger's) and I also spent many lunch hours there.

ChiefShotguns,

Thanks for the reply and information. I have done some research on Charles Daly guns and you sure can tell that they are indeed very similar. Without being able to check the serial numbers of the gun on that website it is impossible to verify whether it is indeed the same shotgun, however the grain on the stock along with assorted dings and wear marks on the case hardening and wood, all match my gun perfectly. It is still a mystery. Thanks again.

GWP,

Great coincidence, I used to work at the then Industrial Valley Bank. I live up a little past Quakertown now. If I knew then what I know now, I would have spent more time drooling over at Jaegers place.

Thanks again,

Dave

Dave, welcome to The Board.

Maybe Alain can clarify the mystery for you , go here:
Alain's email

Best,

JC

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/conten...p;cm_ite=netcon

Pete

I'm a former owner of the Cabela's gun Pete just posted--as well as Chief's.

Dave, if I recall correctly, the Masqueliers made for Jaeger were 60's vintage guns. Anyhow, there should be a date code on yours to confirm that.

Correction to above: Checked my records. That Masquelier at Cabela's, made for Jaeger, is a 1973 gun. And I don't think it has short chambers as indicated in their description. Some of their Gun Libraries do a good job of posting photos of barrel flats. Wish all of them (and all doublegun dealers) would do that.

Larry, that gun at Cabela's (AKA Brown's Gun Sales) would be stocked too high and too short for me. Did it fit you well enough to shoot it well? Nice looking gun.

Thanks all for the additional information. A buddy of mine has been to Cabelas in Hamburg, PA and has looked at that Jaeger side by side. He says it is truly a beautiful gun. It is tugging at him also. I may go with him this week and if I do, I'll will try to get a photo of the barrel flats.

As far as my O/U goes, where would I find the date code? There are two different controller marks on the barrels. One has a D with a star above and the other barrel has an F with a star above which possibly indicates either a 1951-1953 or a post 1974 gun. Please correct me if I am wrong about this. One of the things that I enjoy about this hobby is the historical aspect of these guns.

As a curiosity, I wonder how that Cabela's gun got from Iowa to Hamburg, Pa.

I sold the gun to a fellow in PA. Actually, it originally came from the Hamburg Gun Library. Saw it there when I was passing through PA, had it sent back to Owatonna for a 2nd look, ended up buying it.

Chief, I believe the subsequent owner shortened it, because that LOP would be too short for me too. The drop would've worked OK.

Dave, if it's a 60's or 70's gun, which I expect it is, the date code would be a small case letter, in script, underlined. They can be a bit harder to find on OU's sometimes than on sxs. Does yours have a one-piece forend like the gun in the photo? Sometimes on OU's with 3 piece forends, proofmarks are hidden under the wood that you don't detach when taking the gun apart.