Buck,
I love SxS's and own or have owned them from LC Smith, Parker, AH Fox, Lefever Arms, CSMC, Merkel, Winchester, Browning, Baker, Savage Arms, and Beretta. I did however start much as you are doing, that is by desiring a vintage SxS!
Here is my non-so-humble opinion;
- Beretta SxS are very good and reliable but do not, in my not-so-humble opinion, compare to the "feel" of old America SxS's.
- The Browning BSS is a very well made and reliable SxS and the 12 gauges can be found for a good price.
- Merkels, especially those made during the East German period are the best value of any SxS presently. They are however an acquired taste with their sling swivel studs and cheek pieces. Personally, I prefer quick-detachable sling swivels on a duck or turkey gun.
- Winchester Model 21's prices are down like most classic doubles under $10K. For $4k one can buy a great M21! They may however be out of your price range.
- Winchester Model 23's were made in Japan and are a very good gun. Their prices start just under $2k and climb to $3k+ for the Heavy and Light Duck models.
- SKB SxS's are in the Merkel class for reliability and VALUE! They are priced a little higher an Merkel but are also more popular. The Ithaca SxSs of the 1980s were made by SKB.
- Stay away from the lower end guns like Savage 311, and the slew of Turkish imports. Their first weakness will soon be found in the trigger parts which are not hardened as they should be. When they fail, and if shot much they will, you will have a heck of a time getting them fixed.
Then there are the classic American guns such as Parker, LC Smith, AH Fox, and Lefever Arms:
- I love shooting LC Smiths. The lower grades, post 1913 guns tend to develop cracks behind the sidelocks. This can be avoided by glass bedding (super glue works for Smith actions) and shooting only low pressure loads (under 8000 PSI). NOTE: Recoil cracks stocks and pressure loosens actions. Pressure and recoil are not mutually exclusive but one can load very potent ammunition with pressures below 8000 PSI. Modern factory ammo is optimized to function dirty autoloaders which most use pressure to cycle their actions! As for LC Smiths, I much prefer the pre-13 Grade 1 and higher! Grade 2's are a lovely gun and also a good buy. I expect to pay but 2/3 for a Smith as I would an equivilent grade Parker. But then Parkers have increased in value...
- Parkers have a somewhat complicated action but are easily repairable by anyone with decent mechanical skills. If you have changed a head gasket on a V-8 engine then dissembling a Parker action should be within your skills. The previous stated, Parkers are very reliable for 100+ year old guns. Parkers do have a fault in their stocks which may crack at the head if hammered with magnum loads. This is why one will see Parkers with a bolt thru the head of the stock! As for value in today's depressed economy, Parkers have for the most part held their value. A good VH or even a good condition Trojan will serve you well. A Parker GH (Grade 2) in good condition is a heck of a great gun in looks and performance!
- AH Fox to include the Sterlingworth guns are the simplest action with the exception of the later Lefever Arms. The Fox Sterlingworths are great buys and but for fit and finish, are the same gun as the "graded" Foxes such as A, B, CE and so on. If you find an AH Fox that fits you and you like it then buy it!!!
- Lefever Arms guns, especially the later ones, are perhaps the best classic American SxS's. This is due to "Uncle" Dan Lefever being the inventor of the "automatic" hammerless action and numerous other mechanisms found in early and today's SxS's. Lefever guns were continually updated with innovations. The later guns had the fewest parts of any vintage American SxS's. Fewer action parts mean that the guns should be more reliable than more complicated actions! Lefever guns had a Fully Compensated Action meaning that they had an adjustable ball on the hinge pin that could be used to tighten the action. Why didn't other manufactures employ this wonderful feature! I have paid between $150 to $300 to have many LC Smith, Parker, and one "Super Fox" actions tightened! My Lefevers only require a slight twist of a simple tool. Smart, VERY Smart!
- The Lefever Arms DS model was a very basic later gun with fluid steel barrels. The DS has the same action as all later Levers minus cocking indicators. I own one in 20 gauge and much prefer it over a Parker DHE 20 worth 3x as much as the lowly DS!!! A CSMC RBL Launch 20 gauge left my safe long ago being overshadowed by this simple Lefever Arms DS.
-- PS: Lefever Nitro Specials are Ithaca guns cashing in on the Lefever name. They are good guns as are all Ithaca's but they are not Lefevers!
So, these are my opinions based on my lessons in the school of hard knocks! If you must shoot steel find a Merkel, SKB, or BSS and hammer away! Otherwise, welcome to the world of hand fitted guns made by skilled craftsmen long passed. Be advised that your first classic SxS will not be your last.
PS: I didn't mention Damascus steel barrels. This is all together another subject. Please be advised that many classic guns with the exception of those from AH Fox may have Damascus barrels. Inspect the barrels under the fore end where the bluing will be worn. If you see any hint of a pattern in the steel the barrels are probably Damascus or twist steel that someone has blued. If Damascus or twist steel is in good condition, and from a quality maker they should be safe to shoot with low pressure loads. DISCLAIMER: Have a competent SxS gunsmith measure the barrel wall thickness!!! Any 100+ year old gun with "perfect" bores may have been honed or ever reamed to remove pitted areas. Most guns from around 1890 and later have bores within a few thousands (of an inch) of its maker's standard, i.e. LC Smith 12 gauges have bores of .729" or a couple thousands smaller.
- I keep my working loads for Damascus around 6000 PSI. Loading for this would however complicate shooting that classic gun if you are not a avid handloader. Perhaps one should start with a SxS with fluid steel barrels and leave all those beautiful Damascus barrels for me!!!
Respectfully,
Mark
