doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com New Guns 2017-2018 Season

Thought I would start a thread featuring pictures of new doublegun shotgun acquisitions you plan to unleashed on game populations (or the clays course) this season for the first time.

Below see a couple of pictures of my 1871 Boss hammer gun coming off a stunning restock courtesy of Steve Dalzell in Maine. I am looking forward to hitting the grouse woods this year with this classic. Photo credits to Steve.

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Fantastic, nothing like a Boss!

Very nice & an excellent choice of wood.

Very nice!

Wonderful. Bobby

A Boss gun is a nice way to start off a new thread...Geo

28 gauge
28" for quail, 30" for Dove
Interchangeable forends.

I like that butt checkering Owen & the shape is nice & full.
Can't see your butt Bob, but it looks engraved. Possibly very nicely if it matches the rest of the gun.
O.M

Nice guns. The eponymous Mr. Cash has a nice 28 ga. Gil

An eponym is a person, place, or thing for whom or for which something is named, or believed to be named

Cash = cash ???

Both Gentlemen, thank you for sharing

Mike

Nice bit of work Bob. Love it.
O.M

Fantastic inletting work on the skeleton butt. I know it took forever to accomplish with that degree of precision. American walnut? Steve felt confident the Boss blank was English.

My new gun for the new season is a 1943 Dickson and Son round action. Weighs in at 6.0 on the nose with 28" barrels.
Sorry I can't post as not experienced in the process.

If I ever win the lottery, I'm getting one of those Galazon Fox guns. I'll probably ditto what Bob got...Geo

It didn't take a lottery win, more like a divorce...
Lou got half.

Lou doesn't have enough of those things? I wonder if he would take a few of mine in trade for an XE .410?

Now, you're cooking' with peanut oil.

SRH

Ok, Bob Cash has a custom Fox, thought he was strictly a Model 21 guy.

Let's see who all on this board have customized their Fox shotguns, there's a bunch.

I count at least 12 guys on this board that have customized their Fox shotguns, right?

just do it

My new toy is a Baker Patent 12b SLE retailed by J Blanch & Son round about 1910. I posted some photos of the internals a while back. It came to me as an unwanted inheritance and in a rather sad state but it came up well. Now fully fitted to me and regulated as I like, I may shoot it for a couple of season or it may become my go-to gun for clays and driven game (but not for walked up, bit too special!).
Spec is 30" x 2 1/2" x 0.010" / 0.020". 15" LOP, 6lb 11oz.
I did the chequering refresh, ground pad, stock finish, all the pins, bluing, regulated it, stock bend was done by Don Custerson, pad's leather cover by Roger Rule of Essex, barrel blacking by Paul Steven of Stevens & Johnson, barrels lapped by Eddie Caine (ex-Birmingham barrel boring specialist), jointing by Kristian Reilly of Midland Gun Services (ex H&H actioner) and pins engraved by Dave Tallett (ex Purdey & Boss).
Photos to follow.

Herewith photos of my Blanch SLE no 6782

Toby, Beautiful Blanch & Son!! What is your normal gun for walk up hunting?

treblig1958, I have had several 'falling in ditches' guns, all Blanch's of course. My longest standing FID is a 1890's 28" x 12b sleeved Blanch Back action SLE that was the 2nd Blanch I ever bought, at Sothebys when they were still doing guns. It had a broken front lump that was repaired by Don Custerson and reproofed. However, I have never shot it well, too low in the comb. Today, I would use a 12b Blanch BLE of considerably less years, 30" and stock bent and extended to my needs. Have both an ejector and extractor which I shoot reasonably well, they have lovely engraving for those quiet, reflective moments and owe me nothing.

I don't think I could live with "gun payments". That'd be worse than boat payments...Geo

I have, in transit, a SIACE 28 gauge hammer gun. I've wanted a 28 gauge hammer gun since first encountering a Zanotti at the Vintagers quite a number of years ago. One of the board members put me on to this one.

It cost way too much, but I'll shortly be listing some sxs of various gauges and manufacture in order to pay for it. Sometimes our heart's desires come with a price.

A fun new gun for me will go with me pheasant hunting in a few days. It's marked Charles Giddings. I have never seen another gun with his name.

Very nice, Daryl. Tell me about it .........barrel length, chokes, weight?

SRH

Very, very nice gun, Daryl. Clean, clean original patinaed finish. Gorgeous engraving. Mmm mnh! Please, a few more photos.
JR

WOW and double WOW
Beautiful

Thank you for sharing

Mike

A work in progress, pending delivery and refinish. MF Ideal 302 16 gauge from the mid 1930's. Hope to get it in my hands by spring or early summer. Photos are from the sales ad which could be magnified on the site, but aren�t good copies which will guarantee the �after� photos will make the gun look a whole lot better. Here�s where I lifted the photos below. http://www.naturabuy.fr/Fusil-MANUFRANCE-Ideal-302-Calibre-16-65-item-3438055.html The engraving on the sides is a little different from the French guns I�ve seen. The images in the link will �embiggen� if clicked. Before buying, a knowledgeable collector had his hands on the gun and gave the �go ahead� on barrels and metalwork condition. Not the belle of the ball in comparison with the others shown in this thread, but definitely something I�ll be very pleased to own and shoulder. Hope this post isn�t the Anticipatory Kiss of Death and /or Misdelivery. Gil

Stan, the 12 bore barrels are 29 7/8", .016 x .028 choke, and it weighs an even 7 pounds.

J.R. , here's a couple more pics.

Mike, I don't know the source of the gun, but Giddings spent most of his life around Ilion, N.Y. He had a couple of sons and a daughter in "the business" and Giddings' name is stamped on the stocks of many high grade Remingtons, and several Lefevers, including the Benjamin Harrison Optimus.

Daryl, IMO the engraving of those dogs is especially nice!

Daryl,

Any indication of who engraved the gun? Under the hammers maybe?

Great looking shotgun,
Ken

What a truly beautiful gun Daryl

Gil, I'm guessing that by the time it's in your hands, after a little "refresh", that Ideal will look pretty sweet! I doubt you have jinxed anything.

Those vignettes on Darryl's gun are reminiscent of a Greener. Gil, love that triangular rib!

Owen's, Toby's and Gil's pictures all show for me but it's blank for Bob's and Daryl's pics. Anyone know what's going on?

All show for me, James. I dunno.

SRH

Those sound like some good numbers for you, Daryl. What a beauty.

Still looking, SRH

Daryl,

I believe your gun is by the best Lefever engraver Joseph Loy.

Steve

Chin up, Gil. You actually have a tracking number!

What a lot of beautiful guns!!

Congrats to all of you!!

Terry

Thanks Volleyfire and all of you who commented. The gun did catch my eye when I saw it, especially the engraving . Another friend who retails thousands of guns did suggest Joseph Loy as the engraver. I am not qualified to say, but do have a couple of favorite known engravers which I can recognize. This is not one of them. Another friend pointed out that the engraving reminded him of some Nichols and Lefever guns and also a John Nichols. I do notice the gun's locks appear identical to those used by Nichols and Lefever, and John Nichols. Probably the same lock source from England.

I understand there are knowledgeable Remington collectors who know something on Giddings. It would be fun to hear from them.

Couldn�t resist a closeup.

/IMG

Or two...
/IMG

PALUNC's Dickson:







What a beauty!!!

Do guns qualify for this thread if they weren't acquired this year but this is the first year (due to restoration) that they will be seeing hunting duty?

Absolutely...I think they would qualify if they have been in the safe but are being hunted for the first time this season.

+1 for Loy engraving on Daryl's gun.

Okay, here is one of mine that is going afield this fall for the first time since coming into my possession. I had it out two weekends ago at Griffith Island and dropped a bunch of pheasants. Will be taking it to the Sandhills in Nebraska for a week later this month and after that up to the north shore of Lake Superior.

It is a Lovena 12 gauge sidelock from Prague circa 1920-1925. Weight is 6 pounds 9 ounces. Stocked to the fences, bushed firing pins, articulated front trigger, cocking indicators, straight stock, ejectors, etc.

I had the barrels re-blued as there was little finish left when I bought it. I also had the stock refinished (and glass bedded for good measure at the same time). It has 2 1/2" chambers, 28"barrels choked IM and IM, likely not original.

James, that is lovely. Can't wait to see it.

That round action Dickson of Mike's is quite a gun--James, the Lovena is a beaut, too. All seen in this thread are drool worthy. Gil

That Dickson is killing me! What a beautiful gun!

Once you handle and shoot a trigger-plate round action there is no going back. The Dickson or MacNaughton round action is high on my bucket list.

Thanks to all the nice comments on my Dickson. It's a 1943 with original 28" barrels. The ebony checkered butt plate is a nice addition. The gun came from Graham McKinley in Scotland through an importer here. The engraving is sharp and all screws are perfect.
I was fortunate enough to get this fine example. Not sure why I got caught with the round action bug after only owning London sidelocks.
Graham did a fine job of tidying it up. The case is off to a local guy who came recommended here for a re-finish and re-do.
New lining, new straps and a good cleaning.
I was fortunate to get in touch with John Dickson and Sons and aquire some new snap caps and oil bottle along with an autographed copy of JD & Sons by Mr. Dallas.

You and me both. Beautiful guns with a remarkable history.

Although PALUNC picture taking ability is on par with a lot of guys on this board, especially Lloyd with his William Richards, a lot to be desired.

Well, as this has briefly become the round action admiration thread, the other gun that is hitting the fields really for the first time with me this fall is my 12 gauge round action Ideal 6R EE, which I have posted pics of before. Won't put up any more until I take some good new ones. Don't want to piss off treblig1958 with some crappy old pics!

That's another gun industry I need to research after seeing CB's Lovena. I have nothing on Lovena or the Czech gun industry.

James,

The Ideal is probably my second most admired gun for its sleekness, opening and cocking mechanism and round action. I'm out for the first time this fall, tomorrow with my Ideal 2R. Unfortunately it is the one I reported on here a few years back. Nothing wrong mechanical but not a piece to be seen up close.

Now if I can get the man 1/2 hr behind the rest of us :)) motivated I might have a Parker DHe to show off. It has been 2 years in gunsmiths hands, that I've never shot.

David

Treblig, research J Nowotny. Lovenas are rare as hens teeth. Nowotnys are a little more common. If you have access to back issues of the DGJ, there are a few good articles.

David, I'm sure you'll see the Parker soon. In the meantime enjoy the hunt and the gun.

James

As for round-action guns, the skeletal bar-in-wood guns made by Dickson and MacNaughton are stunners. Redgrouse has a MacNaughton with Damascus barrels that he showed us a few years ago and it was a beautiful gun. Maybe some lucky member will buy one this year and show and tell. Gil

I hunted last season with a 10 yard Ideal 302 16 (not the same one I await). By 10 yards, I mean it looks okay from 10 yards. Well, maybe 15 yards ... Gil

Hahaha!

James, not much there for that maker. Started building guns in 1865, is that correct?

Also, he finished guns from parts he bought 'in the white' from the Belgium or German trade. But that information is coming from a guy who also said Praha is an 'OLD' name for Prague. So I'm considering the source.

Raimey or Pete may shed some light here.

Treblig, Praha is, as I understand it, not so much the "old" name for Prague, but the correct name in the Czech language.

The people here who can shed the most light on the subject are likely to be Raimey, who helped me immensely when I first bought the Lovena, and Felix Neuberger, who posts here under the name Felix and is a contributing author to the DGJ.

My understanding is the Nowotny was kind of the leading maker in the Czech gun community, finishing guns acquired in the white from locales like Leige, as well as building them from scratch. I also have heard (can't confirm veracity) that he was one of the founders (or contributors) to the co-operative that was Lovena. There are some mid 1990's articles in DGJ by Felix that are worth digging up.

And, seeing as it is cloudy here this morning, here are some new pics of my other gun that is hitting the fields for the first time with me and Scout this fall.

1920 Manufrance Ideal 6R EE with 29", five laurel barrels choked IM and Full. This gun weighs in at 6 pounds 13 ounces. The barrels have been reblued and the stock refinished and glass bedded. As well, a terribly decrepit non original pad was replaced with a horn butt plate.

James, it took me a while to find the rabbit on the starboard side of the action....Fabulous engraving and wood. If it were coffee, the wood would be described as having a "taste of chocolate." Gil

What a magnificent work of art! Thanks for sharing. PS: I like both dogs.

Gil, even when I know it's there, it's the crane??? on the trigger guard I have the most difficulty finding!

Joe, thanks for your kind words. I like the dogs too! Especially the one on the left.

It's so lovely! Even your dog is the epitome of badass bird hunting canvasback!

Wow, so beautiful!

I bought a composed pair of Stephen Grant & Sons sidelock ejectors. And they will be shooting for the first time this season. Gun no:2 is choked Cylinder and 3/4 and have 30" barrels. Gun no:1 is choked half and half and have 30.25" barrels. They are absolutely lovely guns, the only thing i dont like is that they dont have an original maker's case and they are in a double case with Holland & Holland label. Here are the pics:














And some info from the maker's records:


Dear Kemal


Thank you for your enquiry. I have detailed below what appears in the ledgers.



6277 � Made for an A.Asher Esq MP circa 1891. Breach loading, centrefire with 30 inch barrels.



8015 � Made for an H.W Gilbey Esq in 1915. Breach, loading centrefire, hammerless ejector with 30 1/8� barrels.



Hope this is of interest.



Kind regards

--------------------------------------------------------------------

I wish everyone a good hunting season!

All the best

Kem

And also another gun i snapped this year is this William Griffiths BLE with 30" damascus barrels. I havent fired a shot with it yet either. This one is choked CYL and 1/2. Some pics:









Though i couldnt find any info about this gun, i dunno if the records still exist/and if so who are keeping them.

All the best!

Kem

I need to find a case like that. Great guns!

Lovely guns Kem. I looks like it's been a good year in acquisitions for you.

It definitely has been a good year canvasback. Wishing everyone a good hunting season.

Best

Kem