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Forums10
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Jul 28th, 2025
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 696
Sidelock
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OP
Sidelock
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 696 |
I realize most people frown on upgrades of classics. I have some specific ideas regarding an upgrade I would like to implement at some point however, and I'm curious, what would be a suitable gun to upgrade? Something not very rare, a modern gun (sxs)rather than a classic, or...?
Imagination is everything. - Einstein
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 10,810 Likes: 1430
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 10,810 Likes: 1430 |
A gun isn't a painting or sculpture. Perhaps choose one you shoot well, and bring it in line with how you would have ordered it.
My Tobin 16 was built about 60 seasons before I was born, with full and fuller chokes in undersize bores. 3" of drop, in vanilla plain wood in a capped pistol grip style, and, too short for most upright primates born since 1900, or so.
Randy Murray restocked it, in very nice English, in my dimensions, with an English straight grip, and made a fuller forend while he was at it.
The barrels were worked on by the late Stan Baker, who corrected their "smallcomings", and opened the chokes to IC and MOD. They have been reblued. But, that is where I stopped. The gun has perhaps 60% of it's case colors left and a few chewed up screws. Changing that wouldn't have made it shoot any better, and oddly, I like the little bit of character left by the guns flaws, a story told in time. I wanted it for hunting. Thats what I use it for.
Best,
Ted
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Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 7,896 Likes: 653
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 7,896 Likes: 653 |
If you are looking to do a 12 bore I would look at a Fox. For what you want one of the late Savage guns is fine or you might pickup a early A grade that has no finish left for about the same money. Between the two there must be 50,000 guns so one more or less is no great loss and these are not the hot collectable guns like higher grades or small bores are these days. Past that your only limit is time and money and if your have enough money then you can make almost anything that you want.
Just remember to find a working gun first, do the metal work and bore-choke work, then the stocking, then the finishing of metal and wood. There is a logical progression to a remaking of a gun and it is too easy to get the order wrong. Too easy to get nice looking wood on a gun and then loose interst in the total project. But to me ugly guns with nice wood still look half ass done.
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Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 425
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 425 |
I don't really think upgrading is all that frowned upon if you start with a basic field grade and especially if it is in less than perfect condition. Of course you want a mechanically sound gun to start with. The problem lies with spending more than you will ever get back if you ever want to sell it. Now this is just my opinion after looking at many doubles for years now but I think you're best bet on the value issue is with a Parker or a Fox, people seem to be willing to pay pretty good sums for well done upgrades in those two makes.
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 13,883 Likes: 21
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 13,883 Likes: 21 |
A 20g Superposed is a good choice. Ooops, did I just mention a o/u? Oooooooooh nooooooooo!
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 5,189 Likes: 70
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 5,189 Likes: 70 |
SDH shows a nicely done Sauer in his doublegun book, the possibilities are endless if resale is not a concern.
My problem lies in reconciling my gross habits with my net income.
- Errol Flynn
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 9,791 Likes: 477
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 9,791 Likes: 477 |
Something like this former Field by Dr Bill Hambidge and Jack Jones  Lots of area on the LC (and Lefever) lockplates for tasteful embellishment
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 5,953 Likes: 149
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 5,953 Likes: 149 |
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Joined: May 2004
Posts: 2,125 Likes: 38
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 2,125 Likes: 38 |
If you start with a gun that has been messed up enough that it will never be an "original gun" you eliminate the guilt factor that many of us feel if you take an original gun and change it. I picked up a Parker G grade that will never be an original. It was excellent mechanically and had beautiful barrels. I can now turn it into a beautiful shooter and I can probably get my money back if I decide to sell it. Mike Orlen opended the chokes and bent the stock for me. I cleaned up the metal and I have reshaped the stock with the missing toe so it looks like it was made that way and refinishing it. Just my two cents.  My Parker Underlifter is original and I don't even want to change the chokes! If I take it out and hunt it and damage it I will feel really bad so I only use it at clay games even though it has too much drop and too much choke.
So many guns, so little time!
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Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 7,896 Likes: 653
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 7,896 Likes: 653 |
All you are doing is upgrading a shooter into your own personal classic. So let your imanagiation be the guide. Have fun and enjoy the product.
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