doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com SKB vs. Webley&Scott

No, I do not. In fact in my opinion you have to stretch a bit to even call most American Boxlocks an A&D copy.

Chief: I can't argue with the convenience of being able to go just about anywhere and get shells. My current grouse gun affords me that option to-some-degree because it's in proof for 2 3/4 shells (most English 16s aren't). I say that with some reservations, however, because this little boxlock is very light (6lbs14) and older (1906). I make the effort to buy 2 1/2-inch RSTs and have them with me on my trips because I'm hoping this sweet little gun outlasts me at-least as well as it has it's several previous owners (I also know how inconsistant shells for 16s can be to find). I guess I'm willing to spend a bit more for the gun and then make the effort to feed it properly.

I have owned other guns (doubles) that were almost as light (w/i 7-ounces), that could digest commonly available shells, & that I paid very little to purchase (~$1000). That gun was an exceptional value in my mind, and was yet another English boxlock (a 12 w/extended chambers, but not in proof). I'll admit that the SKBs are a bit easier to find and may very-well be a bit tougher (ie. stand up to pretty hard use), but I'd keep looking if I were you. I think you will be well-pleased when you find the handmade gun that suits your circumstances.

Lloyd3,

What I am concerned about most is that in the not so distant future we will all be dealing with non toxic shot of one type or another. Kick and yell all we want, we don't have the votes! This will make hunting a bit more expensive and shooting in general a whole lot more impractical. I know that someone will step up and fill the niche market for a bismuth or polymer type shot shell that would accomodate older or more demanding guns. This ammo will likely not be found at Fleet Farm!

That leaves me with the notion that a slightly modified Ithaca SKB 100 in 12ga. might be a better option for me. Though nobody recommends shooting steel through one I know many who have and do. No worries about off the shelf ammo. Some of the 12's have 3" chambers, another benefit when using steel. Some will say not to shoot 3" in these guns. I agree to the extent that an ounce and a 1/4 is an ounce and a 1/4 which is the pay load of a high base 2 3/4" lead shell.

So with all this I have to return to the Ithaca/SKB 20 that I have reworked a bit. All of the above pertains except I do think that the 20's usefulness with steel is limited. It is a very adequate gun using lead shot.

Chief

Point taken Chief! California already has a law that will end the use of all lead shot there by 2019. It's easy to hope that such silliness will end with California, but....we're awash in a sea of low-information voters anymore. The Left's ownership of the education system and the mainstream media have driven us to this point. It may be steel or nothing in just a very few years for lots of folks.

Silliness won't end in CA. I don't believe we are dealing with low info voters as much as the voters recieve and more importantly believe in poor or umproven information. GIGO for humans. I agree that the Ed. system is partly to blame. Teaching by rote intead of by proof. Sheepish, disinterested parents have to factor in there too.

Since this has nothing to do with double guns I will leave it at that!

Chief

Chief, although all the Ithaca SKB 20's are chambered 3" (except perhaps the skeet guns--not sure about those), I believe the only 12ga Ithaca imports (speaking strictly sxs here) that were 3" were the magnums. And there were not very many of those. I've never owned one and have not seen many, but as best I can recall, they all had 30" barrels and came with a factory recoil pad, which the other Ithaca SKB's did not have. Walt would probably know for sure.

Col.,

"Some of the 12's have 3" chambers" yep, they're not the usual. I've seen a couple. I am making an assumption here that the barrel sets would use the same monobloc dimensions for both the 12 ga 2 3/4" and 3"? Wouldn't be the first time a chamber got lengthened! My idea is not to abuse the gun with magnum loads. I could be wrong about this, would the recoil/pressure in a 3" steel 1 1/4 oz. load be all that different than for a 2 3/4 " 1 1/4 oz. lead load? Certainly these guns are OK with 1 1/4 oz. loads.

Chief

Chief, those magnums were factory deals. I don't know whether the monobloc was any different. Maybe long enough in all of them to accommodate 3" chambers. It'd be interesting to compare. But I'm only talking about guns that came from the factory with 3" chambers, not those that started life at 2 3/4" and have been lengthened.

SAAMI pressure standards are the same for 2 3/4" and 3" 12ga loads, so assuming the same shot charge and velocity, there should not be much difference in recoil. Pressure has far more variables, but they'd both have to be within the SAAMI standard of 11,500 psi.

Col.,
I would wager they are the same. There are so few around it would seem unlikely that SKB would make a special run.

There are a few factory 2 3/4" steel loads, harder to find than the 3". I have no experience using steel. I suppose the #4 steel would do the work on pheasants?

Chief

My limited experience 2 3/4" steel 4's will work if the pattern is dense enough. Pattern and use enough choke. Other things work better. MKII