doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com 20 Ga. 1878 Reilly top-lever, hammer-gun

Your BSA brings back memories. I bought a lightening back in 1963 when I first turned 16 from Ghost Motorcycles up here on LI. They had an array of English machines from Triumphs to Arials to that most coveted Vincent. We all wanted Vincent’s but our pockets weren’t deep enough. I think I paid five hundred brand new. My parents were upset when the truck pulled up to it house and rolled off the crate. I rode it on what was back then uncrowded LI roads, I kept in the back of the garage for decades and finally sold it to a collector out in Montana when I turned 75 realizing my motorcycle riding days were well behind me.

Twin brother's 1965 BSA Hornet flat tracker, taken 1966 at Fort Bragg, NC.

Gene,
Funny thing, but, the Olds sits in the shop all winter, I put the battery in, crank the engine until the oil light goes out, set the choke, and the damn thing lights up. Every, single, time, for about thirty years, the thing just starts, and runs. It is, by far, the most reliable car in the stable, and always has been. Only gets driven in the summer, but, sitting around is just as hard on them as running them all day long.

The motorcycles I’ve owned were Japanese, with CDI boxes and digital ignitions, and, save a bad ground cable on a 1995 750 GSXR, have all been pretty bulletproof as well.

The English stuff that interests me, old bicycles and double guns are about the same, although, I had a run in with a Holland pre Royal with a single trigger that taught me some hard lessons. I don’t own any English guns at the moment, but, that could change again at any time.

A friend was going to duplicate a ride up the east coast he took when he graduated from high school, in 1965, on his restored Triumph. He got about 200 miles, and told his son where to meet him with the pickup-with the ZX7R loaded in the back.

Old dreams die hard, but, when they die, it is usually for good reason. The Kawasaki did the trip with aplomb.

Best,
Ted

Riding the 1965 Triumph Bonneville south for Christmas 1965 after finishing Special Forces Training Group...I rattled a nut off a shock. Stopped into a Harley Davidson shop in Georgia to try to get a replacement; no chance - Triumph used BSF at the time (British Strip Fine). But I barely made it out. Guys came out of the back with their Sportsters...."Roll your s-t out on the streets Limey" was the politest exchange I can recall. In those days before Japan...you rode Harley's or Limey's and never the twain would meet.

You guys probably rode past each other. Same year, same bikes.

Best,
Ted

English Proof House was of the opinion that these barrels were 16 gauge as apposed to 20 according to their stamping.

Thanks for pointing that out. Not sure, It looks more like 18/C. . .and it looks like there's a 20 for some reason or another which technically shouldn't be there after 1887 (unless the barrels were reproofed after 1887?). Can't tell exactly. Could it be that it was a 20 gauge cylinder-bore proofed pre 1887, then bored out to 18 bore adding the chokes after 1887?

I don’t believe that is the scenario as there would be some form of the original 20 gauge stamps and proofs remaining . Barrel wall thickness would be at the forefront of my thoughts at that point.

I think it has some nice attributes and the scenario is a shame. Perhaps it’s usable as is and one could go afield with the Red Ryder BB gun stock while they saved to raise funds.

Gun $1000
Rejoint $500-1000
Damascus barrel refinish/work $400+
Restock $3000+

The other side though is I don’t know where you are getting such a gun correct for a low price when sleeved ones of lesser make are going $3000+ on the US auction/ listing sites and even more at auction imported from the U.K. . I have found myself dreaming about rescuing some of the unfortunate soles from a particular UK site.

English hammer 20 bore by a better known maker with 30” Damascus barrels 😍

I didn’t get “usable, as is” out of those photos.

There has to be a better example than this.

Best,
Ted