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Jun 14th, 2026
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Joined: Mar 2005
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Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2005
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bc
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,886 Likes: 18
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,886 Likes: 18 |
No - it's a Tula MC-11, This was their top-of-the-line shotgun, made on a Beesley action. Tula made a handful of these shotguns, and I've seen at least 3 others on the market. The Soviet government used a couple of them as presentation guns to important diplomats. Here's one that was at Julia's in 2009: http://www.artfact.com/auction-lot/tula-arsenal-mc-11-beesley-self-opening-action-p-1-c-e83401e6ebIf you search the archives here I think you'll find out more about them. Geno knew more about them. American Rifleman mag published an article in '73 about the one at Julia's. I've handled and inspected one. I think my friend still owns it. It was beautifully made, but not quite a Purdey. I was more of Tula's interpretation of a Purdey. Fantastic gun, though. OWD
Last edited by obsessed-with-doubles; 04/02/13 10:10 AM.
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Joined: Apr 2011
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Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Apr 2011
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Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,168 Likes: 265
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,168 Likes: 265 |
The only lessons in my life I truly did learn from where the ones I paid for!
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Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 973 Likes: 41
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 973 Likes: 41 |
I have handled one and it is, in my opinion, better engineered than a Purdey. It has radiused corners on the action mating with radiused areas in the barrels, the metal surface finishing is superior to the Purdey version of the Beesley. However, they are heavy because they were designed from the start for 2 3/4 inch shells and pass shooting. The action is faithfull to the Beesley patent, with the full self opening feature, although the ejectors are based on the Baker design not the Southgate.
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 309 Likes: 7
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 309 Likes: 7 |
http://www.gavingardiner.com/BidCat/detail.asp?SaleRef=0018&LotRef=171This one have a special history, it is in the nex Gavin Gardiner sale april 17. I have shot one in Russia past yaer, great guns. Still available today, but not the same quality anymore as bofore. Marc.
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,672 Likes: 4
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,672 Likes: 4 |
I think Roger Barlow wrote one of these up in a AR article back in the 70's.Gun had a lot of gold and beautiful color hardening as I remember.
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Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 2,942 Likes: 19
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 2,942 Likes: 19 |
Roger Barlow owned it.Article may have been in Gun Digest,not sure. Bobby
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,672 Likes: 4
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,672 Likes: 4 |
I'm sure it was in the AR as it was pictured on the cover too.I miss Barlow.
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Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 931
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Aug 2006
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However, they are heavy because they were designed from the start for 2 3/4 inch shells and pass shooting. Trap, actually. The original intent behind this gun (and other early TKIB models) was to arm Soviet trap shooters with Soviet guns for the 1952 Olympic Games, the first Olympics USSR considered entering. If my memory serves, around 1947 The Tula Armory's Higher School of Gumaking was ordered to come up with 'improved' copies of guns with which top Soviet trap shots shot before WW2. They used a Lebeau to create TS1 (T for Tula and S for "Sport"), and a Purdey self-opener for TS2. However, the USSR trap team discovered that side-by-sides were on the way out as far as trap was concerned; they experimented with Winchester semis and Merkel o\u's for a while and finally decided an o/u would be their best bet. Concurrently, the School was transformed into 'Central R&D Bureau for Sproting Firearms', TsKIB for short. MTs 6 and 8 models were designed for trap, and TS 2 was rebranded MTs 11 and remarketed as top-notch presentation gun. Still in production as MTs111.
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