doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Field stripping a V grade Darne.

This might seem academic, but, first be sure you have a V grade Darne-some of the R clones and all of the Charlins have a push button to remove the barrels.

That said, Geo is correct-they should require a tap to be taken down. If you push the button and they fall out of the slot, something is amiss.

My bet would be some crud is preventing them from fully seating. Kirk Merrington would be your man, a Darne really isn't an amateur gunsmithing project.

Best,
Ted

Very nice. Thanks for sharing.

OWD

They might look the same in pictures on the web, but, up close and in person, you can't really mistake them. If you were the guy that insisted on a 28 gauge that weighed no more than 5 lbs (I met that guy, believe it or not) you would pull that off by using a V action. They are more petite than the same gauge R, usually, but the factory did have tricks to alter weight of guns built for custom orders. Honestly, most of the ad copy in the catalogs (which, loses something in translation to English) is really just hype, plain and simple. They have the V advertised as having "double sears", true enough, although they aren't really sears, as such, but, never mention that the sears are actually blocked by the safety in a 1909 patent Darne R, and you would just about have to drop it out of a plane at altitude to get one to go off with the safety on.
I really like a long barreled, and well broken in R model. I owned a 1910 vintage V20 two barrel set that still wasn't broken in when I had it.

Best,
Ted

So if there were some crud, would it be evident with the action closed and locked? The action seems to lock up normally without fuss or muss. Gun in question is a V20 with three digit SN.

Hard to tell. Remember I told you I had a 1910 vintage V20? The serial number was five digits.
I'm pretty sure you have a really old gun. Do you know what powder it was proofed with? Regardless, it's about time a qualified gunsmith looked at it, unless it is hung up on a wall and doesn't get used.

Best,
Ted

Sounds good. I will give Mr. Merrington a call.

Speaking of V and P guns, here we have a bit of a conundrum...

http://www.gunsinternational.com/DARNE-V22-20ga-.cfm?gun_id=100381338

The gun is listed as a V22 grade. We can't see the flats of the barrels, but, looking closely at the opening lever on the closed photo of the action, we see it is clearly two piece. There was an earlier Darne V patent that used a two piece opening lever, and this gun does appear to be early, but, notice the pointed ends of the safety lever. Very P like in execution. When I look at the engraving on the opening lever, a few things seem amiss-the finish color of the metal doesn't match the rest of the action. The leaves are shaded differently than those on the action, and there is floral engraving in a style that appears no-where else on the gun. It has the appearance of two different artists, at two different times having worked on the gun. To me, anyway.
The gun also clearly has a pin through the head of the stock-this is not a factory original addition. Nor is the thick, black spacer under the "original" butt plate.
I'm not sure after several different times spent studying this gun exactly what we are looking at.

Be careful out there.
Best,
Ted

Thanks Ted, interesting, if not a little confusing action but, what sounds like the perfect upland game gun.

Only if they fit. My R10 would likely be the last of my accumulation to go. I'm glad I went to the effort to get one stocked to fit me (I'm lefthanded).

Best,
Ted