doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Where Do They End Up?

I like to prowl the gunshops, looking at old SxS's -- and I sometime buy one that is in shootabe condition. But I see many more of old "classic" American doubles (Fox, Ithaca, Lefever, L. C. Smith, etc.)that are in terrible shape - split stocks. rusted barrels, pitted frames, etc. Usually they are priced anywhere from $300 to $1,000, and sit on the dealer's rack for a long time.

If it is a graded gun, it may be worth restoring. I did so on an "A" grade 1909 Fox, and have been pleased with the result. A complete restock and restoration cost me $1,300 about five years ago. Probably more expensive today...

Today i looked at a "G" grade Lefever (14,XXX)with Damascus barrels in rough shape, pits, a big stock split in the wrist, and butt stock shortened to 13" LOP. Barrels seemed to be original 30" F&M. Cabela's STL was asking $699, and came down all the way to $600 -- and I passed. I doubt that a restorer could remove all the pits, and make it look decent.

I wonder where these rough field grade guns end up? Do people buy them for wall-hangers? Parts guns? Are they project guns that actually do get restored? There seem to be a lot of these oldies showing up lately. It appears that eventually the dealer sell them to someone, but I wonder WHO?

Any thoughts or opinions?

JERRY

Some people just have to have a Lefever or a Parker or a Fox. They are happy to own one, may hunt a day or two a year with them, but no one ever sees them again except the guy they hunt with. The same thing goes for the odd AHE Parker that gets snapped up from the local sporting good store. The guy hunts a day or two a year with it and no one ever sees it again. Oh well. By the way, can we see a picture or two of your A Grade? I'm putting an A Grade custom together and need advice and direction. Thanks.

My thinking is somewhat along the same line as eightbore. I think a lot of these guns (I bought a couple several years back) are purchased by people who are new the the vintage double disease, maybe unaware of how many good condition ones are out there, may have limited resources, but want to want to own one. Yes, some of the graded guns that can be restored or repaired with a total investment close to or less the the completed value may be purchased by seasoned, well heeled collectors, but I believe the majority fill the niche created by those who want to own a piece of American double gun heritage on a budget. Bill Frech

I haven't bought any true junkers, but almost every gun I have bought, good or bad, I fired 25-50 times then it goes in the safe, seen by no one again. This is not necessarily by choice but because I lack a few hundred acres of land. I currently own two, no three, Parkers I have never fired.

Can't say about the old American Classics since I'm just a newcomer to this game, but I can pass on this interesting tidbit of useless knowledge....

Over the last 45 plus years of working in the woods and cruising timber in the Deep South, I have, a number of times, found old doublebarrel muzzleloader barrels driven down into the ground about half way serving as a property corner between landowners! This seemed almost to be a custom around parts of southeast Georgia! Guess when the new breach loading shotguns came on line the best use of Grandpa's old front stuffer was to act as a property corner seperating landowners!

I have maybe 30 of the guns you describe. Some will be parts guns, some may get restored or upgraded, some will be sold as is when I die if I have not gotten to them. Years ago I bought 40 plus double barrels from a old guns shop when they closed. It took years to find guns to put them on but I have almost finished using up the entire inventory. Many guns have been restored to shooters or made into two barrel sets from this one big buy.

It is about the same with stock blanks with me. I have over 150 stock blanks and have no real reason to think that I will need anymore but I still buy a few more each month if I find ones that I like.

Busted stocks are no big deal in my to me as I do not shoot the guns with 3" drop that well anyway. If the gun is worth restocking I am willing to do the job. External pitting does not bother me as much as internal pitting. Like me guns should have wrinkles and a few pits in non vital areas.

Guns I bought as project guns five or ten years ago now cost two or three times as much to buy these days. So if you want a decent supply of parts or project guns you need to buy good ones when you come across them. I use to pass on 16 and 20 bore Fox project guns ten years ago when they were in the $400-600.00 range. Now they are well over a grand for a decent gun with no major metal problems. My biggest weakness and biggest fault is that I do not have just one brand that I like. In my shop are half a dozen or more of each from Fox, Lefever, Baker and Ithaca. Add the odd Parker, Smith, and others and it gets to be a big inventory.

Heck if I am not going to get to use them at least the next person will get a cleaned gun with no new rust to fight. And if I do last long enough then I will get to enjoy making them a little nicer before I leave them behind.