doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Nice Manufrance Ideal 20 at Sydney Cabelas

I know that gun Serban!!! I had the chance to buy it a couple of years ago! I got a "insiders" call from a friend who works at Cabelas and was offered the gun before it was put on the shelf, I think the gun was at B.C. Kinseys show room at the K.C. Cabelas, this must have been 2003?? I should have bought it then, but for some unknown reason I passed, funny how it ends up in yours hands, if I bought it, I probably would've sold it to you anyway ;-) I remember the "Istanbul" markings on the gun, I found that to be kinda interesting. Would love to know the history of this gun.

I did get it last night. It is of good quality and in very good condition.
THe barrels are excellent with no pitting. Chambers measured at 2 5/8", bores at .622, wall thickness at .034 thinnest area. Choked 14 thou and 29 thou.
Stock with modern dimensions.
Gun was made in 1931.
One complaint is that the action seems taller than the other 20 ga I have that is a No. 3.
I'll post some pics of both in a couple of days.
Ideals are made on two size actions as far as I can tell, one for the 12 ga and one for the 16 and 20. Best looking ones I found to be the 16 ga as the proportion between barrel spread at the breech and action width and depth is most pleasing to my eyes.

Great going ! I wish I had seen it first.

Dustin,

Tom from Cabela's called to see how I liked the gun. He seems a very nice guy and to his merrit the gun was as described. I would do business with him again. I thought posting it instead of sending you a pm would be a small token of recognition to his excellent service.

I have a No6 in 12 Gauge, they are great guns.

Tom Bryant is an absolutely first class guy, and pretty sharp when it comes to doubleguns.

Sliver, I was going to tell you that's a Huglu-made Ideal, but since you dealt with Tom, I probably can't get away with that one.

I had a very basic Ideal a few years back. The one thing that drove me nuts, for a field gun anyhow, was the safety--which works bass-ackwards. (Forward is on safe, back is off.) Ambidextrous, which is nice. But it looks like something Manufrance just sort of stuck on after they completed the gun. However, no doubt they are very well made and interesting guns.

Larry, the first Ideals did not have safeties. Considering you can close the gun
uncocked and cock it as you shoulder it by pulling the under lever, they thought
it wasn't needed. Surely added by demand on later models.

JC

Larry,

I got used to the safety easier than with a Greener safety or the Darne's. I think of it as a first trigger I have to pull to engage the other two. It's very close to the triggers which I find that it makes it easier to manipulate.

I bought Dustin's No 6 a year or so ago. These guns are really well make and a pleasure to hold. I do have to admit that I do struggle with the safety a bit in the field. I practice releasing the safety and I do just fine but when I get in the field I just seem to forget when the bird goes up. I'll be keeping it anyway. Just to nice not to own it. Mine is a 12-ga. and feels like a 20 in your hands. I can only imagine how delicate a 20 must feel.

Credit to Dustin for the picture
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Damn I miss that gun Bill! Glad you bought it, but somedays I wish I still had that gun sitting in my cabinet. I hope you use it in good health.

Dustin