doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Looking for info on Charlin

Ted, there are a lot of meaty body parts you can use; the thing is whatever you do use you should do it carefully, ;-)


JC

JC's photo shows what Larry mentions--the "palms" on the barrels fwd of flats. JC's has rabbit and all his friends and relations. What are the striations on the flats, JC. Looks like cyanide casing.

jack

Mine has stars but no rabbits, "poudre T" proof and, in the second photo, a grove of palms.





jack

Bonjour Lapin,

Sorry for the mix up. The photo I posted is of the gun in question, not mine.
It should be yours btw. What with all those rabbits (they look like VS's hares).

My French sliding breech is a well ornamented Halifax.

JC

"Each...CHARLIN will be defined by a letter, and in the series, depending on the finish by a symbol of identification. Each model and thus each letter is associated with one of these 6 symbols: a rabbit, a tiger head, a swallow, a hare, a pigeon and a star.
Depending on the degree of finish, the number of these icons vary from 1 to 8."
I cut and pasted(stole?)the above. It means that the more critters stamped on the barrel flats the higher the grade.

Peter A.

They do remind of Sarasqueta, JC. Not mine however, as I have just the stars. You may have saved the pix of another Charlin fancier. I'd like to see how one distinguishes between rabbit and hare with a pictogram, Peter? I thought four bunnies was crowding things a bit--but 8?

I assume my 12 ga. with the stars is a "field grade" as the action and breech block are unengraved and case colored. Don't have vast experience with Charlins but think the built-in castoff of the comb on mine is a very distinctive feature. Almost a "recurve" in the comb area similar in plan to a trapshooter's cheek nest but not at all quick and dirty. Very different approach and result from cast bent in at the wrist. Saw this again recently on the Merkel 200e I bought in Hanover PA. Probably everyone here knows or knows of Ken Buch as an importer. I commented on the cast effect of the Merkel comb moved to the right off the plan centerline and Ken replied that he didn't believe Merkel built guns with stocks compensated in this fashion. Ken is a great guy BHCBW.

jack

8 swallows
http://209.85.225.132/translate_c?hl=en&...925375984724258

I have not seen Hares.

Peter A.

The funny Charlin thing is, there doesn't seem to be any consistancy with amount of running bunnies/stars/swallows to grade of gun. I have seen top notch, highly engraved examples that have one bunny, and plain guns that have what seems like a dozen. I have noticed that more fauna seems to be usual on guns with higher levels of proof. My own 16 gauge Charlin had zip, zero, nada grade markings on the flats, just a cryptic LC1. I have several Charlin catalogs that make little to no mention of markings on the flats, but, these catalogs illustrate "Art Deco" era guns, some of them beautifully engraved with almost a Celtic style of engraving. And, I have never seen a Charlin so decorated. Which, is too bad.
Maybe Geoffroy has some insight on the grading thing. Google his name "Geoffroy Gournet" and you could post that question over on his site. But, the truth is, we are all stumbling around many years after the fact on these guns, and documents with hard evidence come slowly, if at all.
Before you go off stuffing a 2 3/4" baby magnum in that gun, do have a reputable 'smith have a look-see at the bores, barrels and chambers. The picture above shows a gun with a high level of proof, rare for St. Etienne guns not built by Darne. P CHOKE usually means full+, in my experience. It left the factory with 2 1/2" chambers.
A Charlin is a pure, over-the-center device, with no secondary locking mechanisms, like a Darne. Firing higher pressure/longer length ammunition will sometimes cause the opening lever to lift out of fully locked battery mode and into interupted mode-if the lever is not closed all the way, the gun won't fire. When you lift the opening lever on your Charlin, even a 32nd of an inch, it won't fire. You can test this, on your gun, without ammunition. But, shooting big number loads in a short chamber gun will sometimes cause the lever to lift sightly, which seldom gives shooters warm fuzzy feelings. I have had several calls over the years that featured excited shooters with freshly soiled pants-it is difficult to calm them down, usually. The gun CAN'T open, at the shot, but, use the correct ammunition for the chambers you have. I have no problem lengthening chambers on typical French sliding breech guns if the 'smith says there is plenty of material. I've never seen a gun with thin barrel walls, either. Oh, and you've probably noticed, that the gun is pretty light in weight-do yourself, your retinas, and your dental fillings a favor, and run lighter loads.
Resist the temptation to dismantle the sliding breech. You need tools to remove it, it is very different than a Darne, and requires little or no maintenance over the course of a century, or so. There are two very small detent balls and captive springs which are very easy to lose-I damn near lost mine, and I knew they were there.
If the Charlin makes a "clunk-clunk" sound when the action is cycled, and the gun is cocked, you have a broken lever spring. I've examined several in this condition. It is an easy fix, and the gun can still be used, but, have it seen to.
The big problem with sliding breech guns of any type or brand, Charlins included, is that most existing guns don't fit 21st century upright hominids, and the difficulty fitting existing guns to those same hominids. LOP changes are managable, but, that is about where it ends. Forget bending the stocks.
You will find that, inspite of being beautiful and unique, Charlins seldom bring any money here in the states. Typically, $500-$2000, depending on condition and grade. They are coveted, and worth more, in Europe, where a guy seen hunting usually has some money. Lots of it, typically.
At any rate, enjoy it. I have had a few Charlins, over the years, and always found that I prefered the mechanics of the R model Darne for my own use, and I no longer own a Charlin. But, that doesn't mean you shouldn't, if you like it. Most likely you have the only example on the block, not that that is always a good thing. For repairs, Kirk Merrington is your man.
Good Luck.
Best,
Ted

In all actuarial probability, I will prove to have been mostly a 20th C. semi-upright hominid, which may explain why the Charlin fits me. I've seen Ted's precis of compliments and caveats previously. It's a good one. Thanks for repeating it, Ted.

jack

Jack,
If you have a sliding breech gun that fits, you are one of the very few lucky ones. I do too, but, it took a trip to France, and a decade of importing experience, to pull it off. Oh, and it's left-handed, which means I'll probably be buried with it, if I out-live Dustin. Maybe I should just give it to him, now?
Best,
Ted