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Jul 28th, 2025
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,768 Likes: 115
Sidelock
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OP
Sidelock
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,768 Likes: 115 |
Well, a Baby Bretton. I bought it this morning. It is a 12 bore over/under, 26 1/2 inch barrel, multi choke but with only two tubes which appear to be aroung improved cylinder and 1/4 choke. The choke tubes are marked 'L' and 'LA'; anyone any idea what this stands for? The total weight of the gun is a mere 5 pounds 5 ounces. The chamber length is 2 3/4" but I shall be confining myself to nothing heavier than 7/8 th. ounce and maybe the light 13/16 th. ounce loads. The gun doesn't look as if it has been used much. It came into a local gun shop some time ago following the death of the gun's owner and has now been released for sale. I paid just undere £300. Lagopus.....  
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Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 14,521 Likes: 302
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 14,521 Likes: 302 |
Nice example of the weird lightweight. I would love to have one for about a month, but maybe not forever. I forget where the safety is on these things. Where is it? Roger Barlow introduced us to these back in the sixties, but we have heard little of them since. Has anyone seen a factory catalog or a gunsmith manual on this gun?
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,768 Likes: 115
Sidelock
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OP
Sidelock
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,768 Likes: 115 |
Can't find a safety, but that is not unusual on some Continental guns. I have only ever come across one of these before in an English gun shop. This one was in first class order and reasonably priced so I got tempted. I will probably use it for squirrels and rabbits. Can't say that I needed it but just thought it a fun thing to play around with. If someone has more info or a manual for the gun I would be most interested to learn more. Also if more choke tubes are available. Lagopus.....
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 3,767 Likes: 243
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 3,767 Likes: 243 |
Lagopus I sold that one I had 2 months ago for $1000. But, it had the original case and was a 3 barrel set with one set rifled. Mine was a lower grade. I'd say you got a deal. But they are my frontrunner for the world's ugliest O/U.
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 5,021
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 5,021 |
I was expecting a small bore Purdey or a Boss or a vintage Coggie and what do we get, pictures of……well; he should have paid you to take it off his hands and have it disposed of properly in the nearest land fill.
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,768 Likes: 115
Sidelock
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OP
Sidelock
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,768 Likes: 115 |
Treblig, I have got to agree with you there. I got the vintage Purdey, a hammer gun made in 1869, and I got the vitage Coggie, a boxlock ejector made in 1892 - the Boss still eludes me. I hadn't got anything French and I didn't own an O/U. I don't know how long I will keep this one for. I just thought 'what the heck' and went for it. It will all depend on how it shoots.
Mike, do you know what the choke tube markings 'L' and 'LA' mean? I don't suppose that you still have the manual? To remove the barrels do I remove the choke tubes, unscrew the knurled nut on the bit near the muzzle that divides the barrels and then unscrew them from the receiver? Not had chance to play with it yet. Can you tell me any more about them, such as when they were made? Any information would be useful at this stage. Thanks. Lagopus.....
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 3,767 Likes: 243
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 3,767 Likes: 243 |
Lagopus the manual went with it. Mine was also made in 1963 so it didn't have the connector on the muzzle end. The barrels were free floating on that end. My barrels unscrewed by hand one at a time so I'd say you would have to remove the barrel band somehow. I did a search here but like usual I couldn't find the post about it. It should be here somewhere.   
Last edited by Mike Harrell; 10/21/09 01:31 PM.
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,768 Likes: 115
Sidelock
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OP
Sidelock
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,768 Likes: 115 |
I thought that I might be out of luck with the manual; thanks for the reply. It was a neat outfit that you sold. The serial number of mine is 30864, any idea of date? I have only ever come across one other for sale here and the engraving, if I remember correctly, was the same as mine. The condition was not so good though. I always thought that if I see another I would buy it to see what it was like to use. Thanks. Lagopus.....
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 3,660 Likes: 7
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 3,660 Likes: 7 |
Hello Lagopus and nice buy, Surely the makers can give you more info on the Baby: Makers Website Happy rabbit hunting! JC
"...it is always advisable to perceive clearly our ignorance." Charles Darwin
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Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 364
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 364 |
These guns are not uncommon in France. I saw at least three a few weeks ago in Paris where I always do a round of my favorite armuriers. Popular for hunting woodcock with a rifled spreader choke in one barrel. If I had to spend time in a jungle and carry my own survival crap this is the gun I'd want. There's bugger all to go wrong and it works fine with a sling.
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