doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Why did repeaters come to dominate ?? opinions

ok-

RWTF you have quoted 2-piper saying things he didn't say. Look two posts up. You have typed you comments in as if they were 2-piper's.

I appreciate, even as a Damn Yankee (who grew up close to the MD Line in The Queen City) all the history, and yes, both the War Between The States and later WW1 brought us new and "better" ways to kill, main or cripple our fellow man-- But back to brother Larter's original question--I once read a Jim Carmichael article about his boyhood years in NE TN-- where the Model 12's rules the roost- he mentioned a Fulton double in the house, but the American (Spencer- John Browning M 1893) gun designers and gun company top executives ( Bennett, Dodge, etc) were all cut from the same cloth as Morgan, Frick, Gary, Carnegie, Rockefeller- etc-- the post WBTS years- 1870-1910 were the greatest boom years for the Industrial Revolution-- and Winchester under Bennett proved that, by buying all the designs (except the A-5 shotgun) John Browning could crank out, even designs that would never see production prototypes- the profit margin on repeaters, especially pumpguns, was far greater than on the hand-fitted and filed double guns- thanks in part to Eli Whitney and the "go-no go" gauging and interchangeability of machined parts.

Jim Carmichael also made the point that as the Model 12's were the biggest seller, even into the Depression (when John Olin lowered the dealer retail list for a field grade M12 from $49.95 to $39.95- and most hunters, whether for the market, or to feed their families, were a one shotgun owner- they usually bought a 12 30" full choke- partly from the notion that as the retail was the same for a 28" or a 30" M12 so choked, you got 2" inches more of Winchester Proof Steel for the same dollar--

Also, from about 1920 through and into the post Korean War period, the Winchester Model 12 in Trap and Skeet editions ruled the roost on the clays tournaments- why? because guys broke great consistent scores with them, and the Model 12 would hold up to thousands of rounds of serious shooting and never break down--

Americans are both practical, and now with the revival of SC, the usage of special non-toxic loads for migratory birds being the "law of the land" also sentimental- and that's possibly why the renascent interest in the vintage quality American double guns--

2-piper and Stan....

Before it is all lost... here is the text of a letter Col. Wilder wrote to Sgt. Bothwell long after the war. Evidently
Bothwell was trying to clarify certain facts about the two days action. This letter now resides at the battlefield.

August 27th, 1890

C.H. Bothwell, Esq.,
Holton, Mo.



My Dear Sir:

Your favor of Aug. 1st, received. As I have not as yet received a copy of the map of Chicamauga Battle fields you speak of, showing our position at Alexander Bridge on Friday, I am unable to give the information you seek. I have had a great deal of trouble trying to get justice done our brigade in regard to location and services at Chicamauga. We were so detached and did so much fighting on our own hook most of the time that the chiefs of corps did not know of the important services we rendered, and cannot realize that we stood the brunt of hard fighting all the afternoon of Friday, nor can they understand that we saved the day on Saturday on our right; nor further can they realize that we broke Longstreets left, and turned his famous charge away from McCook's corps.

I shall write to-day to the War Department asking for a full set of the maps, and hope to be able to give you more information later. In the meantime you would do well to write the War Department direct, giving your ideas of the battle of Chicamauga.

Please give my best regards to Geo. Chapman, and believe me, I am,
Truly your friend,
(J T Wilder)

P.S: I think the wounded of Friday night were taken back somewhere near Lee & Gordon's mill. I know they were taken to Crawfish Springs later, but it was impossible for me to keep track of all these details as I had my hands full keeping track of the enemy, and holding them back from running over everything.
J.T.W.

P.S. I know we're WAY off double gun topic here so I'll stop. Sorry.

Don't forget ease of manufactuer, of an auto or pump.They require less skilled workers,and no doubt a better margin for the manufactuer. Parts were universal and required little or no fitting.

I believe Mr. Browning had a pretty good feel for the "pulse" of the American shooter/hunter before beginning development of his repeaters. Seems he had a strong inclination that they would be readily accepted by the average Joe before introduction of them. The reasons given by Rich and Homer were certainly important, but there had to be a belief that the market would accept them before production. JMO.

SRH

Yup- you are right-

Accuracy of the content? Favorite word fubar not used!

http://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=259319&page=1

Real simple....

BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM

That was a time when men were men and people hunted in order to kill...

Now most today have been convinced by some idiot out'house writer or try and convince themselves of what a perfect little time they had when they go hunting and don't kill anything.

Myself I hunt to kill...without the kill it's anti climatic.