doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Need help selecting first old SxS

As a caveat... I do not heed my own advice. So with that in mind, I would avoid buying an older double unless you can see it in person and inspect it. I would take that $1000.00 dollars, hold on to it and save up some more for a newer SxS, and when I say newer I'm thinking 1980 and on.

Now I say this with my #1 grouse getter being a 16 Ga Fox Sterlingworth. I have already nearly added what I paid for it with work done to replace the wood, open the chokes and regulate one of the barrels, but at 5 3/4 lbs its the lightest American made 16 Ga. I'm a fan of the Fox Sterlingworth and recently picked up another on GB of all places (see what I mean by not heeding my own advice).

Frankly, buying an older double is always a crap shoot. Sometimes, you get lucky and the gun was well cared for and is in great condition with no issues in the 70-100 year old wood or the mechanism, and it actually fits you right. Sometimes this is not the case and it needs work, which adds cost and it can turn into a money pit. Ammo is always a concern to. I am hesitant to fire modern loads in any of my old doubles (I have 4 old doubles, in addition to the Sterlingworth 16 Gauges, I have a 12 Ga Elsie, and a 20 Ga J.P. Sauer pre war, again, not following my own advice and so far I've only been lucky on the Elsie which was granddad's and well cared for, luck with the incoming Sterlingworth remains to be seen) Furthermore I would be very cautious with an old sidelock like a an Elsie or a Baker, because they have less wood abutting the mechanism than a box lock. RST shells seems to abate this issue but at a higher cost them modern shells. Also no steel shot, you will put a bulge in your barrels.

So in all, if your going to purchase an older double over the internet, make sure you have an inspection period, ideally one where you could fire it and have a smith on hand to look it over. If you go for a newer double, a lot of these concerns are not present save for proper fit.


Good luck and if no matter what its an older double that you want, here's a second vote for a Fox Sterlingworth, it is possible to find small bore Sterlingworths under a grand, but not by much.

-Chris

The first thing you need to do is double your budgeted $. Old anythings are a money pit and unless you find the legendary Old Lady you will pay more for the gun than it is worth to start with. And you won't be happy with anything in your original price range (Rule One of Expectations in Gun Buying). Guns are a money eating proposition unless you buy by the lb and sell by the oz. And keep it for years and never do anything with it but show it to prospective buyers. Be prepared to eat every penny you put into it because the only person in your bloodline that will profit (maybe) by your purchase has yet to be born.
Price based decisions are losers. Decide what GUN you want. Find it, buy it and ignore the price. Shoot it till it rattles.

have a day
Dr.WtS

I've found the fun is as much in the chase as in the destination!

Decide what GUN you want. Find it, buy it and ignore the price. Shoot it till it rattles.

have a day
Dr.WtS [/quote]

I admire that determined philosophy to a point, but because I followed that technique with a woman once... I've become more selective... and yes, she now rattles.

To elaborate, keep an eye out for what you want and be prepared to act when it's available in good condition at the right price. Be realistic on both, but try not to act in haste. The available guns change all the time, except for the overpriced ones which take up shelf space and bandwidth seemingly forever.

It's too individual a choice to make recommendations except to study beforehand.

Thanks for all the replies.

I will have to visit Steve Barnett�s Fine Guns in West Point, MS. It�s around 2-1/2 hrs. from my house.

As for the shells, I don�t mind buying low pressure shells, because I probably won�t shoot it but every now and then. I have the RBL if I want to shoot a lot.

welder said it right. Hold on to your $1,000 until you find the right gun. First, decide what you are going to hunt/shoot. Small gauge guns go up in price ezponentially with the reduction in bore size. A Fox Sterlingworth or a Parker Trojan are good choices in 12 gauge at that price level as is a LC Smith field grade. Find a gun that fits you well and get some good advice from those that are knowledgable on doubles.

Best Reards on the Hunt.......George

Buck, PM sent.

I don't expect you'll find anything in your budget there.

Re the earlier comment about buying something that will take OTC shells, if you have a local source of Fiocchi ammo, they make a 12 ga training load that is well under 7,000psi, 7/8oz payload. If you can buy those shells locally, you can safely run them through an awful lot of old doubles. I also have in my files a copy of a letter from Sherman Bell regarding Win AA Featherlights in the 26 gram load. He ran P and V tests on them and came up with avg 5950psi.

Stallone, if you know where Sterlingworths are still under a $1000 please send me an address?

Buck, what is older to you? Is that 50years, 100 years, o more? You can probably find a pretty nice JP Sauer post war around your price range and in condition without problems and Charles Daly/Miroku doubles are in that range too. If you go much older than that the Ithaca NIDs are not too far out of the price range. But the 100 year old guns are for those of us somewhat jaded who like to play with short chambers, lower pressure limits and aren't afraid of damascus if properly checked out.