doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Define "Entry Level" Guns?

For someone of the Parker persuasion the Trojan is "entry level." A basic 12-bore SxS with 28- or 30-inch M&F bbls, pistol grip, black rubber butt plate, double triggers, made since 1912 and best after the mid-1920s. But let's not confuse an entry level shooter with a collector's item....

An unfired "NIB" Trojan 12-bore (with box and tags) sold at Julia's two years ago for $10,350 with "juice" (15% buyer's premium). The gavel price of $9,000 minus 15% seller's juice was $7,650 minus 1% insurance and another 1% shipping (say, $180), which netted seller, say, $7,470, being a buyer/seller spread of roughly $2,880...or at least three times the price of a decent Trojan shooter. (The buyer paid more than 12 times the price of the below mentioned Parker Trojan shooter...C'est la vie!)

I bought a sound, unaltered, fully-functional, used-but-not-abused, basic 1920s Trojan 12-bore shooter at the 2008 Vintage Cup from a dealer for $850--ENTRY LEVEL--which now resides in my son's gun cabinet in VA, where we shoot trap out behind the barn, on occasion.

There are other good American-made guns besides Parkers (but not for me). I think the entry level test for old men whose minds are made-up on a particular maker ought to be: What model of my favorite gun would be a good starter/entry level gift to a son or daughter to perpetuate the family tradition.

For a Parker person the answer is a fairly priced Trojan grade according to the standard 12-bore template: about 7 1/2 to 7 3/4 pounds, pistol grip, black rubber butt plate ( or decent pad), modified and full chokes, double triggers, splinter fore-end and, as a shooter, the later made the better (Trojans were made from 1912 till 1938). EDM

"Entry level" would ,to me ,only apply to a specific brand.
Like say a very well priced bottom grade Perazzi could be labeled an "entry level Perazzi".
For a dealer to describe a sxs as "entry level" would be to assume you will,in time,be upgrading to more expensive boutique guns,[which as with anything,the more you get into it,study the nuances,get an idea of what you really like/want].
But you still have your own personal tastes,and may never have the want or need to exit the "entry level"

An entry level gun is one you swear you just borrowed because your expensive custon gun is being serviced!
Jim

True, 'dat....
Best,
Ted

Man! Thats a tough one! I think it depends on how you wuz raised to some degree. My Dad was a double guy, and my "Entry Level Gun" was an LC SMith Fulton, 20 Bore. I soon graduated to a Parker DHE 28 Bore. Then, as I got smarter, and realized how old fashioned those guns were, I went through a series of Model 12's, Browning Humpies and such like....It took a while to realize my Dad was smarter than I and I went back to Doubles. If I had a kid starting out....L C Smith 20 Bore....Pennsy Dutch saying " too soon old, too late smart".

I got my kids LC Smith 20 gauges and just got my daughter, (the oldest), an AYA #4/53. Her first gun was a low grade spanish zabala boxlock 20 gauge. Fine entry level guns.

Rob.

My entry into doubles was a Stevens 420 OU, 20ga. First gun I bought with my own money, after having been handed down my brother's Stevens .410 single. That 420 was enough to turn me to side by sides.

I think for many an entry level sxs is one priced somewhat in the same range as guns of other action types that the shooter is likely to use.

My first sxs was a SKB 100 20 gauge. IIRC I paid about $300 for it in the early 80's. Couldn't hit the broadside of a barn with it so I sold it. My next double was a Win 24 that I picked up at a neighborhood auction for $400. It shoots where I look and since then I have picked up a few more of increasing value.