doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Another one has been found.

Another Darne ten gauge, that is. Have had communication with a Cannuck that reports a 10 gauge V17 is on it's way to him.
His photos he shared show a case colored, fully engraved large key action in perhaps 99% condition. From what I could see.
So, the world is up to about 5, including a certain 12 that has been refitted to 10 gauge, an R10 in New Mexico, an R17 magnum residing in the United Kingdom, and the photo of a black oxide finished 10 that appeared in the 1973 "Gun Digest" article by John T. Amber.
Neither of the Bruchets, father or son, had ever seen a Darne 10 when I was there, circa 1997, and long term actioner Pierre (employed since the 1950s) hadn't seen one, either.
Some things are rare. A Darne 10 is one of those things.

Best,
Ted

Sweet. Built as a game gun or heavy fowler??

Dustin

Ted:

I didn't see mine on that list. So there may be 6.

Mine is lower grade (one grade stamp) with 27-1/2 inch (approximately) barrels, 2-7/8 inch chambers and it weighs approximately 7 pounds 3 ounces. Early gun, I believe, perhaps pre-1900.

I'd post pictures if I had a camera and knew how.

Rem

Dustin,
6lbs, 5ozs unloaded, 70mm chambers-I'm guessing the fowler concept was either not that important on the continent, or waterfowl weren't enough of a hunting opportunity to make a dedicated gun practical in the era of these guns. With the exception of the gun John Amber photographed in 1973, they all seem to be pretty old.
Rem, that makes 6 I know of-sure to be more, but, where? Fransisque Darne cataloged them as well, but, none of those ever surfaced in the almost 2 decades my name was associated with that type of gun.
A Darne is a gun for a pretty specific crowd, and a light ten would interest even fewer in that group.

Best,
Ted

6 pounds, 5 ounces! Some ten gauge.

Ted,

Here are two pix of my Darne R-16 10 gauge with the Bruchet factory restock and St. Etienne triple proofmarks on the replacement barrels that Kirk Merrington fitted some years back.

Gun weight has gone up to right at 7 lbs. thanks to the denser walnut used. It's the short ten, with 75 mm chambers which works out to 3 inches, but I make 2-7/8 roll-crimped loads for it. Note that barrels are not choked as I've fitted choke tubes to it, including recent purchase of a skeet tube from the company that fitted the original tubes.

The Bruchet had trouble finding the right proof load to help out St. Etienne, as I understand it. Initially did not pass proof as the shell split. Ultimately resubmitted and passed.

Regards, Tim

Google canardouze

I read some period publications mentioning light 10s as dedicated bird dog guns, made specifically to throw a wide even pattern of small loads of small shot. Yours must be an example of this concept, since it doesn't look like a canardooze at all

I would love to own one that fit, even at that weight and chamber length.

It would be interesting to see what loads you could work up for it. Might work out to less "firepower" than a modern 2.75" 12GA Magnum but patterns might have some enlightening stories to tell..

Best,
Mark

Besides, if my memory serves me right, the French banned the use of anything over 10 gauge for hunting about 1900 or earlier...

None of my French catalogs are that early, but, as late as the 1936 Darne catalog, and a mid 1930s( Jallos & Cie ownership) Fransisque Darne catalog were both advertising 10 gauge guns, and the Darne catalog has "Canardier" (punt guns) at the back. No mention is made of legality in France, but the load for the 50mm is noted as "120 grammes of powder and 900 grams of shot". The load for the 26mm gun is "100 grammes powder, 600 grammes of shot". Shot size 1, 0, or 00 are the recommended sizes.
Somebody was buying those guns.

Best,
Ted