doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Single barrel sporting guns?

Slightly OT, I know, but I think here may be the best place to ask:
Now and again I see some of the grand old British names on some very nice single barrelled sporting shotguns; sometimes jones underlevers, sometimes toplevers, often back-action hammer sidelocks; they appear to be quite early, often quite well made and finished.
Are they especially valuable, collectible and desirable? (bearing in mind, of course, the holy trinity of name, quality and condition for pricing) Anything I should look out for beyond the usual wall thickness, proof, tightness etc caveats?
Just curious, is all...
OK, so I lied: something shiny has caught my eye...!
Thanks,
RG

I too have seen some really nice singles.As always condition is everything and the usual caveats apply.The singles I have seen are notably cheaper than the SxS (as it should be-they cost much less to make).A good single is,IMO a very fine thing!

what is a good single? if looking for one in the opinion of the board what defines it in terms of gauge, cartridge size, weight, balance, metal fit, wood fit etc?

Mr. Joe Wood, and Amarillo Mike both have beautiful singles..A real joy to handle. Maybe one of them will chime in here...

I bought one a couple years ago. A high condition Tolley 12 gauge. Really like it and have been on the lookout for others.

Some people I know shoot game birds with single barrel English guns. They also take them to Africa to shoot and use them to great effect. High quality ones are rare, they are light and a challenge to shoot well - which may be some of their appeal.

Yes, Amarillo Mike and I shoot them when we're in a "don't give a damn" mood (normal). They're a real pleasure to carry but the devil to shoot well, which is why sometimes we challenge each other when numbers don't count (always). They have virtually no momentum so even a heartbeat at the wrong time can result in a clean miss (mine beats real fast, you see). Lightweight--my hammer 12 with a 31" damascus barrel weighs 5 1/2 lbs and my hammer 16 burdens me with 4 1/2 lbs.



My 12 and Mike's 16



Amarillo MIke busting a bob over the brush with his little single 16



Covey flush and I only have one shot with the tiny 16!

Singles are hard to find in the US. I lust over good singles in UK auction catalogs and Smallbore's for sale list. After years of searching, I recently found a 1914 Francotte Model 11 with solid rib and safety. My friend Bob Beach helped me with the model designation. I am still looking for a Lindner Daly with safety or a nice English example.

Cheapskates corner ....



The GP model originally made by Greener, subsequently by Webley and Scott. Solid as a rock, big strong action, and amazingly well balanced, they handle beautifully, particularly in the longer barrelled versions. This is my 32". You can buy a nice clean one for around �200 -250. Dig sourced this one for �100.

Definitely my favourite gun for pigeon flighting, a real treat to shoot. I've had another one moderated / silenced by Hushpower; handles like a fence post!

Eug

One barrel ,single shot , no reciol reducer no multi chokes or adjustable comb . How did any one ever manage to shoot any thing with these guns? Joking aside there were a lot of very nice single guns in both hammer and hamerless . They do not realise the price they should and many have been treated badly as they became unfasionable . Largely going out of poularity in the UK with the influx of cheap imports fron Spain and Italy .Who wanted a single when fo almost the same price you could get a double? There were a small number of imported singles sold in the last 30 years mainly as " kids" guns or because they had long chambers so to be used for wild fowl.