doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Skimmin & Wood Two Incher

Great story. Thanks for posting.

I too have always wanted a 2" 12.

Posting in the want ads.

We're some of the 2"'guns proofed for 15/16 ounce loads or was the standard proof always 7/8 ounce?

I've only ever seen them Proof marked as 7/8 ounce. Maybe Smallbore can give some extra information as he must have done quite a bit of research as his book on Boxlocks has a section on 2" guns. Lagopus.....

I believe that up until the change in proof laws in 1954 they actually could be proofed at the 1-1/8 oz. level......why I don't know, given their weight. I currently own a 2" Churchill 'Imperial' SLE that was proofed at 1-1/8 oz. out of the London Proof House. Sold new in 1954 with the typical XXV 25" barrels and choked .015" and .017".

Only photo I have quickly at hand can be seen by clicking on this link to our annual vintage shoot coming up this May here in northwestern Montana. The photo is the frontispiece to our program:

www.gamradtgallery.com/nimrodclassic.htm

All Best,

Rob

P.S. It took me a while, but just had a flashback as to this matter of reduced proof in the 2" gun. I'm working off memory here, but recall from my reading that the former 1-1/8 oz. proof requirement in effect prior to 1954 was subsequently reduced when some English makers of two-inch guns petitioned the proof authorities claiming that it was difficult for them to be building sub-six pound 2" guns and still meet the higher proof standard. I may not have it exactly right, but I think it was lowered at the request of various makers, and I'll do my best to recall in what article or book I read that. Meanwhile, someone else is likely to come along and better flesh out the details.....

I had a two incher many years ago. Mostly it was my closet queen. Rarely shot it because I did not hunt many small birds and ducks and geese were just too large for it. Both barrels were choked improved modified and the gun was within an ounce of five pounds. Would have been a fine gun to carry up hill and dale chasing birds if I had any birds to chase.

My confusion about 15/16 may be on my end. I loaded 13/16 shot in Federal Paper hulls I cut down. 13/16 fit perfectly with felt and card wads. they patterned well and dispatched quail with authority. I had no way to measure the shot string and my wife refuses to tow a pattern plate behind her car so I could test it but I always felt that it hit like a flyswatter. And those short paper reloads were just about the cutest shells. Roll crimped or with a folded crimp both worked well. Nothing like the smell of paper hulls with fresh spent smoke coming out of them.

Thanks for sharing that with us.