doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Greener shotgun question, also Boucher 16 gauge

I do own a Boucher Boxlock w/ejectors. It bears #6217. It is well made, with Jean Breuil barrels. I don't know when it was made, but I would say pre 1960s.
It also says "le Fusil Boucher Champion du Monde" i.e " the Boucher Shotgun, World Champion" (???) on the water table.
"Boucher" is also found there rather than on the barrels.

WC

Thank y'all for all the replies. I will post some pictures as soon as my soon brings my digital camera home.
The Greener does have proof marks under the barrels, but I can't make them out. I'll try to clean them up before I post anything.

"Fake" and "forgery" are the wrong concept for JABC's in my view. Other than the fact that they were shotguns, they bear little resembelence to the name brand. The Belgians, I suppose, well knew that very few Americans knew what a W. W. Greener or Westley Richards looked like. Other than the use of W. Richards (William Richards of Preston/Liverpool), they only got close on the name. Despite the fact that most JABC's have been shot to pieces with modern ammo, I think they served well for the investment made. They were farm tools.

You have more faith in them than Greener did. According to him they were 'shot' when they were brand new.

http://books.google.com/books?id=3HMCAAA...pment#PPA393,M1

Greener had a considerable financial stake in denigrating them - I don't. I've seen too many of 'em still "tickin'" after years of abuse and no maintenance. They were farm tools, not heirlooms. They did their job as economically as possible. The Belgians made "as good as" guns at every opportunity. However, they had too many people to feed and they had to make anything they could sell. There was a big market in USA for farm tool guns. So, they filled that market.

Sort of like buying Chinese stuff now.

I'm surprised we haven't saw one with a shovel or a hOe welded on the end.

Greener also touted his own "facile princeps" action over the standard A&D. He was in the business of promoting and selling his own guns to the detriment of those made by others. But interestingly enough, he eventually bought out Needham and made A&D's under that name--and eventually under the Greener name as well.

Rocketman:

I understand your point, but they were marketed under deception. Otherwise, if they had called it a tool and not a name similar to a known maker, then then known maker would not have attempted to drag the offender before a justice and we probably would not be having this discussion. But to sell your product, you have to have some sort angle.

KInd Regards,

Raimey
rse

I'm sure the Belgians hoped their naming was deceptive. They believed themselves to need each and any angle available. I've often wondered if it actually made any difference in sales. I doubt that your basic clodhopper walking into the local hardware store had any brand awareness. He had $5.15 in his pocket and there was a gun that cost $4.95. That left him $0.20 for a few shells. That 'ole henhouse raiding skunk is agona pay with his life tonight!!!

Hj, you were born a century too late. Imgine the wealth you could have made with the "Dr. HomelessjOe's Shotgun Tool Attachments." All you'd need to do is solder on a bay-o-net lug and have a kit of a hoe, rake, pitch fork, splittin' ax, felling ax, cross-cut saw, scoop shovel, and post maul made up to snap onto the barrels via that lug.