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Sidelock
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OP
Sidelock
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 296 |
I'm sure this topic has been beat to death but I am fairly new to this site and wanted to see the varying opinions. Let's keep this to guns you own, your approximate locale, or the game/targets you pursue most. I don't care if it's an H&H best gun or the ol' Riverside dad gave to you 50 years ago. Let's use the perverbial "one go to gun." This isn't intended to be a "measuring" match.
So I'll start. I have English setters, live in Iowa, and hunt mostly pheasents. Once in a blue moon I'll see a hun or quail. I do like to try and take one hunting trip a year for birds, and hunt a little waterfowl too.
My personal favorite is my Parker Trojan in 12 guage. Not fancy or flashy, but fits me very well at 14 1/4 LOP and 1 5/8 DAC and 2 3/4 DAH. This gun has been used a lot but still locks up tight and has some charecter. 28" bbls that have been back bored to remove pits, cones lengthened and right choke opened to mod. Blue is about 85%, traces of case color, and the wood is excellent. It weighs about 7 1/2 pounds so it's a little heavy but balances so well that you don't notice as much. This is by far not my most expensive double, nor is it the nicest, but it's my favorite, and finds its way into the truck on nearly every hunting trip. I have killed buku pheasents with it, huns, quail, ducks, geese, woodcock, grouse, and chukars. When the cover gets tight I use spreaders. There doesn't seem to be anything this gun won't handle. While have many others, this is the ONE.
I will be interested to see what everyone else has....
Double guns and English Setters
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I have a Lefever G grade with a high stock and straight grip. I "butchered" it to suit me! Chokes are now .014" and .024", LOP is 14-1/8" with a Pachmayr Decelerator pad. I shoot it very well and love it. Another favorite was a Bernardelli Italia hammer gun, but I sold it, darn it. A Browning Gran Lightning 28 ga. is another current favorite of mine. Had a very nice Parker but it went away in a trade for my newest treasure, the AYA 2 barrel set.
Last edited by Jim Legg; 01/20/10 11:35 PM.
> Jim Legg <
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A T.& H. King Boxlock with Extractors. It is proofed originally for 2 3/4 inch and for 1 1/4 ozs of shot. It was somebodys waterfowl gun and it weighs 8 lbs. I to "butchered" the barrels( IC and Mod) and even restocked it to fit me better. It had way to much drop.
Regards, GOrdon
Our Dogs make our lives better
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I have my one-to-go, a 12 bore William Evans best quality single trigger BLE. I just had the barrels blacked and the top rib straightened by Hugh Lomas of Wisconsin, he did a beautiful job, too. Mike
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Joined: Jul 2005
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Little 20 gauge Purdey SLE, made in 1929, 28" barrels, sideclips, hidden 3rd bite, factory 2-3/4" chambers, 5 lbs 13oz, leather covered pad, 1-7/16 x 2-3/8 x 14-1/2, POW, choked IC in both barrels. Original stock finish and substantial orginal case. Barrels redone, excellent job.
It has enough honest wear that I don't mind taking it out hunting in good weather on reasonable terrain. It is my Sunday go to meeting gun.
Best,
Mike
Last edited by AmarilloMike; 01/20/10 06:56 PM.
I am glad to be here.
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 6,521 Likes: 383
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Joined: Dec 2001
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Mine is exactly the same as Amarillo's.
Oh, don't get me wrong. I don't have a 20 ga. Purdey, but like Amarillo's . I will never have one unless he wills it to me.
Last edited by Daryl Hallquist; 01/22/10 04:52 PM.
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Most of the time I grab my Uggie Falcon 12, bored .008/.017. If the temp drops too much, I grab the single trigger Beretta 626 12, bored .005/.019. Then when nostalgia sets in I grab the 1902 Elsie 12; put a spreader in the right barrel. http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/cpg1410/displayimage.php?pid=4734&fullsize=1
Don't sacrifice the future on the altar of today
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In the vault is a c.1915 HJ Hussey Imperial Ejector, a 12-g SLE with 2.5'' chambers and 28-inch barrels, along with the nicest diamond grip you've ever felt. Six pounds and eight ounces.
Last edited by GJZ; 01/20/10 07:58 PM.
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A 28ga Pieper hammer gun. Nicely engraved and a lot of fun on a grouse hunt is my all time favorite. I left it home last fall and that was a mistake.
Pete
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VH 12 , 28 inch tubes custom stocked for me bill
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Posts: 14,239 Likes: 2013
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My favorite double is not a S x S, but a Beretta 687 Silver Pigeon II Sporting 20 gauge. It has a Kick Killer leather lace-on pad to get the added length I need. It carries Comp-N-Choke tubes and gets fed only 7/8 oz. loads. In the 6 1/2 yrs. I have owned it I have taken nearly 8000 doves with it, here and way southeast of here. It has also been my 20 ga. competition gun for sporting clays.
I have several S x S's that I enjoy a great deal but, none that I shoot as well as the little 687. I have not fired a shell at a dove with any other gun in the last six seasons.
Stan
May God bless America and those who defend her.
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A 1920's Merkel S x S 16 gauge, scalloped back A & D action, boxlock, 28" barrels choked .010 and .020, straight grip stock, completely and properly restored about 7 or 8 years ago. I only shoot upland, from South Georgia quail to Iowa pheasants, it's perfect for me and if I sold every gun in my vault this would be the last one standing. Second favorite would be an Ugartechea clone of a Merkel 303 in 20 gauge, a sidelock O/U somewhat tighter choked than the Merkel above, my favorite O/U gun that I have, more so than a couple of very nice Merkel O/U's. William Larkin Moore tells me they only made 6 of these guns in 20 gauge and have not made them now for 20 years or more.
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My favorite double to shoot is a little 20 gauge W.J. Jeffery made in 1901. It was sleeved in London in 2002 and proofed for modern ammo. It has 27" barrels choked IC/M. Weighs 5lbs 4 oz.
My favorite that I own is my grandfather's Remington 1875 12 gauge, 28" steel barrels choked M/F.
Last edited by ohiosam; 01/20/10 09:02 PM.
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A butt ugly 16ga. NID Field Grade that probably was 30" (and is marked 2&4, F&M) when it left the factory but is now 28" and choked C/IC. The butt wears my first attempt at a leather pad so it doesn't fit well at all, the barrels have no blue and the receiver is silver. It's a late (1945?) gun with 2-3/4" chambers so I can feed it modern loads and I usually hit what I'm aiming at. I don't care what the weather is when I take it out.
Someday I may give it some TLC but for now I shoot it.
My problem lies in reconciling my gross habits with my net income. - Errol Flynn
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LC Smith 1909 2E 20 gauge with 26" barrels choked F/M. It weighs in at 5lbs 3oz. I love it. This gun is a joy to shoot, it practically points itself.
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My "Go To" SxS is a 1912 Fox A grade....it has radar. 12GA x 2.75", 30" barrels with lengthened chambers and forcing cones. Barrels further butchered with installation of Colonial Thin-Wall screw chokes. Buttstock sports a Galazan "Period Correct" 1.5" ORANGE recoil pad bringing LOP out to 15-5/16". The reason the pad is ORANGE, is that Galazan didn't offer a 1.5" pad in Royal Blue or Barber Pole. It weighs 7 LBs 11 OZs ready to go. I'm not a 5'7", 140 LB man living in 1910. I'm 64 years of age, 6'3" height, 195 LBs, living in 2010 and I butcher my 100 year old guns to suit me.....and will continue to do so.
Last edited by Ian Nixon; 01/20/10 10:37 PM.
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I don't have a favorite double right now, dadgummit! My favorite was an ugly 12ga Ithaca Flusie with 28" barrels factory bored IC and Mod. For some reason it fit me perfectly, it was the only gun in my accumulation which I had provenance for from its manufacture date of 1908. Unfortunately, none of the guns that came down through my family were doubles.
Someone else wanted worse then me though, so I'm back to shooting my way through the accumulation to try and find another gun I can shoot as well. Not much luck so far. If you find your true fitting gun, DON'T sell it!...Geo
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I wish I had the same emotional attachment to it as the others. So it's my favourite when I'm shooting seriously to bring something home: 20ga SKB o/u ST IC/M 26" barrels. My last-to-go is 16ga twist Parker hammer 0 frame C/F.
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My favorite double is soul-less, style-less, 16 gauge French guild gun with original 27 inch barrels that I butchered so that they are now choked IM/Skeet. I added a Pachmeyer Decelerator Pad and a 1" black extension. It may have no style or soul or original XXF chokes but now it fits me perfectly, it weighs only 5 lbs, and it's been great for pheasant, quail and grouse. Steve
Approach life like you do a yellow light - RUN IT! (Gail T.)
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I'll begin by saying I'm a Parker collector/shooter/aficionado but I appreciate other fine doubles. It seems that I have a new favorite each time I buy another one and this time is no different. This time, however, I didn't buy a Parker but an Iver Johnson SKEET-ER .410 two-barrel-set with straight grip, Miller single selective trigger, front and mid Lyman ivories on both sets of 26" barrels in better than 90% original condition. Right now I'm totally infatuated with it and have shot two rounds of skeet with it. I can well imagine it will be hell on grouse and woodcock this fall... then I'll have to decide wether to keep it or not. In any case, I'm pretty sure my future holds more favorites.
Last edited by DAM16SXS; 01/20/10 10:29 PM.
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Since 1966, a 12-gauge straight gripped 28-inch 3-weight Krupp barrel A-Grade, Ansley H. Fox. It left North 18th Street and Windrim Avenue in 1914 bored improved modified in both barrels. I didn't own it a month before I had the right barrel opened to improved cylinder. Known as the meat-in-the-pot gun.
Last edited by Researcher; 01/20/10 10:44 PM.
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I didn't own it a month before I had the right barrel opened to improved cylinder. tsk, tsk....next you'll be confessing to putting 2 3/4" shells in it.
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C'mon Mike. Show us that favorite. Wait till I put on my drool bib.
Don't sacrifice the future on the altar of today
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Last edited by AmarilloMike; 01/21/10 12:23 AM.
I am glad to be here.
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My favorite double happens to be all the doubles I own. I can't say I have a "go to" gun. I try to shoot a different gun each time I go out because I enjoy each and every one of them. 20 gauge: Arrieta, Fratelli Poli, Fratelli Rizzini. 12 gauge: Westley Richards, Stephen Grant, James Woodward. After I get my Holland & Holland Royal, then I might have a favorite go to gun. 
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I'm with you...all are my favorite. If not they don't stick around.  Although quite heavy at 11 lbs it's is one of my favorite hunting guns. It's a 32" 10 ga. W.& C. Scott "Premier Gun" sometime after 1950 it's chambers were cut to 3 & 1/2" and it was Nitro proofed at 4 tons, 1 & 1/2oz. It's choked 29 and 30 thou. It's a duck and turkey killer. (Buck Hamlin did the barrel browning)
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I own an Ansley H. Fox 12 guage, serial number 2838. Does anyone know when it was made? Thanks.
answer to; mhannon@att.net
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I prefer Fox guns but I guess when you ask me which is my favorite gun? I will quote an American art GOD someone ask hem which was his favorite painting he simple replied "THE NEXT ONE"
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I like all my SxSs, but favorite 20 is an AyA 4/53 and the 12 is now a Bernadelli Gamecock Deluxe. Although if bunny hunting it's a Belgian Guild 24 ga.
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I have a couple of favorites. 1st a 12ga FE grade Lefever which has been fit with a 2nd set of Italian made steel bbls in 26' with .012/.024 chokes (originals are 30" damascus). Wt of 7½lbs & it has been used for a very wide assortmant of game by laod variation, from woodcock to Duck & Turkey. My other favorite is a J P Clabrough sidelock 12ga 28" damascus @ 6lb 14oz choked about .010/.010 (¼choke). This gun has been used only in the uplands (quail, woodcock, rabbit) with a light 1oz smokeless reload But I shoot it extremely well (For Me).
Miller/TN I Didn't Say Everything I Said, Yogi Berra
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My dove gun is a Baker Leader choked IC/M, my want to get some fancier gun for general purpose is a Baker "B" grade and my go to trap SxS is a Baker "A" grade. Do you see a pattern here?
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Ditto jOe's comment.
Favorite's this week are my Beretta 687EELL Trap,or my old standby 32" fixed choke K-80. I shoot a lot of clays but don't hunt much any more. When I do, I'd probably borrow my buddy's 20 Super.
Dodging lions and wasting time.....
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he simple replied "THE NEXT ONE" Donnie, I'm down with that! 
Dodging lions and wasting time.....
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Dave K
I have a Folsom era Batavia Leader that I think you would like. I showed it to Dewey last autumn... after several moments of pause he simply asked me if I just picked it up from the factory.
Cheers Marcus
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I had two. The first was a August Schuller 16 gauge side by my dad gave me for Christmas in 1975. He had used it for upland game and trap. I had it re-bluded and restocked in the most beautiful piece of marble cake Bastogne walnut and the beavertail was AAA black walnut from Fajen. Looked real nice and handled exceptionally well. The other was Bernardelli Series I Uberto 20 gauge I bought from John Hollinger, Aspen Outfitters Ltd. I had it stocked to my dimensions. It was the closest I ever got to a custom gun. The Bernardelli was a very well made gun and it locked up nice and tight.
Colin L. Kendall
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I have two; my 12 gauge Charles Lancaster Model A Live Pigeon gun, with Whitworth barrels for doves, and my 12 gauge AyA Model 56 two-barrel set for all others, including sporting clays SxS events. Jim Haynes
Jim Haynes
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Favorite - circa 1913 W. Foerster 12 ga. It was my first SxS, has beautiful wood, horn trigger gaurd and nice scroll engraving.
Favorite for the field - 1902 Syracuse Arms 12ga. with "New Twist" barrels. Took my first timberdoodle with it.
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Currently, its a Parker VH 12 on a #1 frame, made in 1923. My Grandfather and Father hunted with it,and hopefully my son will enjoy it when I'm done. It has 26" barrels (previously butchered) but still is somewhere near cyl and imp cyl. 85% blue, very little case, still locks up tight, lever to the right. I put a galazans gamekeeper pad on for a little more length I hunt partridge mostly in central and northern Maine.When following my springers, its my favorite early season gun.
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Currently, its a Parker VH 12 on a #1 frame, made in 1923. My Grandfather and Father hunted with it,and hopefully my son will enjoy it when I'm done. It has 26" barrels (previously butchered) but still is somewhere near cyl and imp cyl. 85% blue, very little case, still locks up tight, lever to the right. I put a galazans gamekeeper pad on for a little more length I hunt partridge mostly in central and northern Maine.When following my springers, its my favorite early season gun.
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Posts: 40 Likes: 2
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W.&C. Scott Ltd./"Orvis Best" (1980-82?) box lock, 12 bore, 2-3/4", 26" IC&M, tasteful beavertail, Prince of Wales, Non selective single trigger, blue receiver, nice wood. 6-1/4 lbs. The quintessential quail gun, I use it for all my bird shooting - Pheasant, Quail and Dove - with 1oz. loads. I have other doubles worth more, but this one does it all for me. I can shoot it! Mike
Last edited by Rebel Sympathy; 01/21/10 05:45 PM.
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w.c. scott sxs 12guage box lock international 1898 ejector light and points itself. found it in original leather trunk missing stock and forend. a diamond in the rough.
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My Dad's 1958 Antonio Zoli 16ga. SXS. It was not used for more than 30 years. Being used by me now, on a regular basis. Thanks Dad. 
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I have too many doubles, none of which I shoot worth remarking, probably because I haven't had the heart or wherewithall for the necessary "butchery" (mods). I'm partial to stacked barrels(sort of a double on edge) and particularly like my old twin-single Super and would like my Merkel 200e a lot better by now if I hand't been warned off a certain barrel butcher. Sad to say, my "composed" m12 skeet gun with Colonial Arms screwins and a $30 Sile Monte Carlo on the back is the gun I've shot best for 16 yd trap, skeet, and birds. Sort of a double gun if you put in two shells? OK, I like my 12 ga. litewgt. Charlin about as well as any.
jack
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20ga late Remington Parker, 0 frame, 28 inch barrels, double triggers of course and pistol grip stock. I had chokes adjusted to skeet/modified. With 3/4oz of 7s it is lightning on Arizona quail. With an ounce of shot not bad on South Dakota Pheasant either. Relationship after 23 years is still sweet. When I found her she was in need of some minor wood work which put the price where my military budget could afford her.
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Stevens 311 20 gauge with choke tubes installed by Mike Orlen. For hunting, I shoot POC 0.005" in right barrel and 0.015" in the left barrel. I want to say for the record that this is really what I like to shoot and I didn't post this to piss anyone off ;-)
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Posts: 478 Likes: 77 |
My favorite is a 16 bore Joseph Lang non-rebounding hammer gun completed 6 March 1866, rebarreled in 4 bar damascus by James Woodward probably before 1882 (maybe even in or before 1872). She carried London black powder proofs until her 1990 reproof in Birmingham. I've put about 2,250 cartridges through her in the two years that I've been her caretaker. Older ladies are sexy.  
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I shoot a 12b Dickson round body,in the field. The barrels were sleeved after a bad case of "bird fever" made me blow up the right tube.
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Many of my guns are my favorites otherwise I not keep them.But most of all I shoot my Spanish Sidelock made by Gaspar Arizaga. I also like to shoot my W. Leech sidelock and my sidelock bird gun made by Henri Dumoulin in 16 gauge. When I am posted to shoot pigeons I like to shoot my W.Richards(liverpool) and recently my Lefever "G". grade.
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My one remaining Lefever G, straight grip, steel barrels, high comb, a Browning Gran Lightning Citori 28 ga., newest love is the AYA 28/.410 set. While not a double, my Browning M42 repro is another favorite shooter. Like Marc, if they are not favorites, I don't keep them. I'm a gun enjoyer, not a collector.
Last edited by Jim Legg; 01/22/10 11:45 AM.
> Jim Legg <
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Like most - I find this hard to give a simple answer:
Good weather pheasant: Fox a-grade 12 30" mod/x-full Bad weather pheasant: SKB 100 12 26" choke tubes Good weather grouse: Ithaca Gr-3 12 30" sk/sk Bad weather grouse: SKB 100 12 Good weather woodcock: Remington 1889 12 30" mod/full Bad weather woodcock: SKB 100 12 Turkey: American Arms Turkey Special 26" 12 full/fuller(tubes) Goose: AYA 10 32" F/F Puddle ducks: SKB 100 12 Ducks over decoys: Parker VH 12 30" Squirrels and doves: Arizaga .410 28" Crows: Hopkins and Allen 8 gauge 36" choked (?)yep-it's F-U-N!
I guess I don't have a favorite. I use most of my doubles in the field throughout the year and the one's I don't take to the woods -shoot at least a couple of rounds of trap. If I don't use them, my wife might try an make me sell them.
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Easy. Nothing too exciting , but my 20 ga. Parker repro comes to life whenever I pick it up. My favorite by far. Right now...... Rick
"Sometimes too much to drink is not enough" Mark Twain
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My 2 favourite are both by J Blanch and Son (those who know my preoccupations will not be surprised!). My hammergun is a 12b with 28" Whitworth steel barrels, 1/4 & 1/2 chokes and sadly a bit of a plank for a stock. The other is the gun I inherited from my father (the one which got the whole Blanch thing started!), a backaction 12b with original Damascus barrels, same chokes as above. Both with crisp engraving and lovely actions. 
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Choke tubes in the SKB 100, Ironman? My brother and nephew put theirs away because they were too tight for steel. Enough iron out there to accommodate tubes? I think the SKB 100 is most underrated double in the world.
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I cannot pick out a favorite! 20 gauge GHE straight grip Parker is the gun i bagged the most birds with in the good old days! Bobby
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C'mon, Bobby. It's got to be your favourite. Regards, King
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I cannot help but notice that when choking is mentioned on a "Favorite;" that right barrels are Cylinder, Improved Cylinder, or Skeet. Not, of course 100%, but enough to realize that shooters who get their game ARE shooting open chokes, especially for that first shot. A double shooter I greatly respect says "Zero and Ten." Butchery,? or something else? Hmmmmm. Sam Ogle, Lincoln, Nebraska
Sam Ogle
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Ive a pair of merkel 147 20ga,sst and dt-diffrent bbl lengths and grades,they rank at the top as far as sxs clay shooting goes. Then,a beretta 401 stella 12b hammer,and a 32" damascus husqvarna jones UL 12b hammer for the vintage retro fun. And for the money,a beretta 687 sporting 3bbl set,and a merkel 200et trap. Finally,.410 smallbore fun with winchester 42 cutts,and dehaan s2 sxs.
PS each is a tool.not like a hammer but more like a screwdriver. one hammer can get away with doing the same thing over and over again,but not so much with a screwdriver.
Last edited by yobyllib; 01/22/10 09:14 PM.
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Cross Brothers 12 Bore underlever.
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20 ga GH Parker on O frame made in 1902. Originally had 26" damascus barrels but was returned to Parker in the late '20's for fluid steel 26" barrels. It is a dream to shoot and carry.
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My favourite is the next one I buy... There's a 28 bore hammer gun on the way soon, which will be something a bit different... I do have an 1886 6lb 12bore F16 Greener facile princeps with open chokes and damascus barrels with which I rarely miss game... RG
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M-21 16 ga. field grade. Bought 20 years ago with a non-original 13" stock. Restocked with straight grip, high comb and cast-off to fit, beavertail worked down to a long splinter, 28" tubes opened to skeet 1 & 2. At 6-3/4 lbs. this gun is just right for me, mostly with 1-1/8 oz. pheasant loads and fine with 1-1/4 oz. for wild-flushing late season birds.
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My favorite is also always the next one. However, time tells whether or not it stays as THE favorite. My current favorite is that little .410 Nitro Special all fixed up. Although the dove season saw me with my 28" plain barreled, full choked, Win 42 most of the time.  But, I have a new (to me) .410 on the way and it may turn out to be my new favorite.
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always like that 410 when you post the pics Chuck,the wood,CC and the little bit of gold all blend together nicely. I have 3 or 4 I seem to go for to miss partridge with but I guess the favorite is a Purssian Daly 16,27 1/2 barrels born in 1924 that I picked up at a country auction here in NH.There are lots of nicer and more expensive guns members have on here,and a few nicer in my safe but I have been picking this one for a while when I reach in it.
Hillary For Prison 2018
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King, I have to agree that the SKB is underated. To me it's the same as a Browning - but for half the price. I'm not sure how mine ended up with choke tubes - barrels were cut to 26" and tubes added long before I took over as it's keeper. I have read that only a few places will attempt choke tubes on an SKB due to high chrome content in their barrels. Don't know if there's any truth to that - but I have seen alot of SKB's and none had choke tubes. Any thought on that? Makes for a light, quick handling 12, that can "adapt" to most hunting situations. Allthough not pretty to look at - it is probably the most versatile double I own.
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How much drop does that gun have Dave ?
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I have a few closet queens, my Ithaca (built in 1936)is the only gun I practice with and use. 
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I have too many doubles, none of which I shoot worth remarking, probably because I haven't had the heart or wherewithall for the necessary "butchery" (mods). I'm partial to stacked barrels(sort of a double on edge) and particularly like my old twin-single Super and would like my Merkel 200e a lot better by now if I hand't been warned off a certain barrel butcher. Sad to say, my "composed" m12 skeet gun with Colonial Arms screwins and a $30 Sile Monte Carlo on the back is the gun I've shot best for 16 yd trap, skeet, and birds. Sort of a double gun if you put in two shells? OK, I like my 12 ga. litewgt. Charlin about as well as any.
jack Hehehe..., I sort of feel the same way jack. As much as I love doubles, I also love O/U's too. I've got two Beretta Cole Custom guns, one in 12g and the other in 20g, that I enjoy every bit as much as I do my SxS guns. The SxS shooters I shoot with give me some grief every time I show up with one of those "stacked barrelled spaghetti guns" when we get togehter to shoot.
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HJ, I never measured it,here it is with a couple others,maybe this picture will show it better,seems to fit me fine both drop and LOP. 
Hillary For Prison 2018
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I live in Nebraska and only hunt upland game birds, mostly pheasant, quail and chukars over my two female GSP's and my female Welsh Springer Spaniel. This year I used a Merkel 1620 Combo for hunting except for a couple of times when the weather was really bad and then I used an old Laurona BLE. I will never part with the 1620 and hope to be using it 20+ years from now!!
Mediocrity knows nothing higher than itself, but talent instantly recognizes genius.
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Just a simple old Fox Sterlingworth, 16ga, 28" barrels, ejectors, IM/F: 
The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits. - Albert Einstein
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to leave no evidence of my foul deed, I plan to toss it into an abandoned farm pond after my last hunt.
The upside to that is you could tell everyone where it is and nobody would bother it, in case you ever came back.....
Doug
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I love your rape and butcher job. What pond do you have in mind?
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My favorite double shotgun is my little Waldlaufer (drilling!) 16bore with the 22lr in the rib. It's as light and handy as any other light sixteen bore double boxlock, it fits and hits right, and I get to bring a 22 rifle out with me wherever I go.   Cheers Tinker
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It's hard because I like different guns for different types of shooting. But, I hunt mostly upland birds and my favorite is a gun I bought with bad barrels and a short stock many years ago in London. It is a Hollis Bentley and Playfair 12 bore, weighing about 6 1/2 pounds. I had John Foster sleeve the barrels at 28" and put on a wood stock extension. Sometimes, when I thought I had missed when I was pulling the trigger, the bird falls anyway. Choked .008 and .018. It is also a pretty gun and I just enjoy the art of it. 
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I'd say a Lindner Daly tops my list but any Austrian/Bohemian/German double will do and today it was a BüHaG(held by my youngest Jaeger) with an August Schüler frame and Simson tubes of "Special Gewehr Lauf Stahl"(Izhevsk crucible steel grade 50A) probably from Izhevsky Mechanichesky Zavod.   Kind Regards, Raimey rse
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Come on Mike 1992 looks more like 1972!!!! 
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What!?!  I was only 20 years old in 1972! Hmmmm.... maybe you're referring to all that hair that used to be there? 
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"My favorite double shotgun is my little Waldlaufer (drilling!) 16bore with the 22lr in the rib."
I've been looking for one of these for years! I heard of one with a broken stock but was never able to chase it to ground.
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I neglected to mention the one double with which I've had the most fun for the buck, A Pedersoli 12 ga. ML that I bought at my first rendezvous, for $200(unfired). I've had a million dollars worth of fun with it, met lots of wonderful BP shooters and have a stairwell wall covered with medals it helped me win. That one will not be sold.
> Jim Legg <
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The gun that gets the most trigger time for birds is my Beretta 686 Onyx 20 with fabulous factory wood. I put a set of Colonial extended M/F chokes in it about ten years ago and have never changed them. I once went nine for nine on doves with that gun and never got the tenth bird. If I ever go 10/10, it will be with that gun.
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Remington model 1894 in 16ga. 26in. barrels cyl. & Mod. with double trigger's. Terry
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My favorite doubles include Doug Mann's 20g Fox.
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Thomas Wild, 16 ga., 28 inch barrels,straight stock, double tiggers, choked skeet and full, points it's self, I just tag along.
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