doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com 10 Lessons I have learned the hard way about guns.

PA24, I did not start out to collect so many project guns and in fairness they are a small group in a larger collection. All but maybe ten to fifteen are in "shootable" condition, those with busted stock, missing barrels or missing minor parts. I never got the high grade bug with double guns. I like basic, solid guns and never went for only high grade or high condition guns. I have a few of each but far prefer working guns with a few scars or a history of what I call happy use. Some people are happier than others in their use.

It is like my gun stock blank rack full of blanks. I started out buying solid, plain Black Walnut blanks, then a few Feather Crotch blanks. As time went by I added other types such as Claro (three types), Myrtle (three types), English (three types), French, Bastone, Turkish, Maple (four types), Madrone burl, Desert Ironwood, Mesquite, Grafted Claro/English and even a few laminated blanks for rifles. What started out as a dozen is now north of a hundred and will never all get used by me but are there if I need them and will just be better aged when I pass them on.

My project guns will give me years of things to do if I ever retire. If not they will just be passed on to someone else when I am gone. My wife has clear instructions of how to dispose of all my things when I am gone so she will not be stuck with things she does not want or understand. The kids will get first choice and what they don't want can go to auction for fast sale. That goes for Guns, stock blanks can be sold on EBay, power tools on Craigslist etc... All my toys must go some day as I can not take them with me.

We are born into this world with empty pockets, and that's how we leave.


Reading on this site for a decade or more has really taught me how this particular market operates.

If your primary concern is money, then one set of rules is prudent. If your motivations are different, then act accordingly.

My metric is time.
Project guns get a time estimate that gets added to my shop time. If it can't meet my 3mos hurdle, then I have to pass.
I regret that sometimes, but typically, it keeps junk from accumulating.

I still kick myself for not buying a 20 ga Fox AE w/30" dented barrel because I had too many projects moving ahead.

It would be great if members would announce the depth and breadth of their junk piles, so that when they die, it's easier to capitalize on their accumulations.

KYJon - A great collection of hard earned wisdom. The gun safe bit is particularly on point - human nature abhors empty spaces. My gun safe is bursting and I have sworn an oath to myself that I will not buy another because I KNOW what will happen.

I am sure it wasn't as funny for you, but the Superbritte story was a good laugh.

Careful. One man's junk could turn out to be another man's junk.

Best,
Ted

Being way too anal retentive for endless accumulation, I've gone from many score to an even dozen very nice doubles.
What was once somewhat volume driven has evolved into two criteria, quality and use.

That being said, I'll not shy away from a restock. I'm a sucker for beautiful wood and a gun that fits.
I can easily observe your other 9 commandments

Wise words of advice.

I just bought an English double as a project. It is shootable and the auction house was accurate in it's description of the gun, so I have no one to blame but myself, but if I had seen a picture I probably would not have bought it. It doesn't help that I had also purchased a W&C Scott and a Charles Boswell, both fairly nicely restored that arrived before the project gun did. The upside is I have very little into the gun.

Yesterday I looked at 20ga sxs with price tag of about $400 less than it would have been just few years ago. I say the longer one waits the better off they're likely to be. Ah, the sweetness of youth......

As a self-professed Bottom Feeder who admits enjoying working on these old guns, I'd be happy to assist anyone who is in dire need of cleaning the old junk out of their rooms and safes..

There's lot's of folks out there that would enjoy an old double rejuvenated to reasonable working condition, at a reasonable price. Original or collector condition be damned. It's also a way of keeping the sport, as well as the history and heritage alive.

Regards
Ken

One of the more entertaining threads I've read in a while.
Been there done that!

I bought a gun that needed restocking on purpose. I did that because it was price as such and I was after a 15-1/2" LOP so I knew a restock would be in order anyway.