doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com So How Have Your Tastes Changed in Double Guns?

I have become interested in 7-1/2 pound 16 gauges for volume clay and dove shooting. Before I only looked at sub 6 pound sixteen guns.

Also, in most cases, I would choose a Damascus over a fluid steel gun, everything else being equal.

Best,

Mike

Anyone remember the old Starkist Tuna "Chicken of the Sea" TV commercials? Remember Charlie the Tuna who thought Starkist was looking for tunas with "good taste," and missed the fact they really wanted tunas that "taste good?"

Well, I started out interested in doubles that would show off my "good taste." Slender, wispy, short-barreled, flyweight guns with straightgrips like a double should have. As the years passed, I came to realize more and more the value of guns that "taste good."

Only one of my doubles is a dedicated hunting gun and that happens to be for grouse and woodcock. It gets carried a lot and I have to negotiate some thick cover, so it has short (26") barrels, light weight (<6 lbs) and a half pistolgrip (comfortable and practical). I bought it 20 years ago and will never replace it, but if I were shopping today it would have 28" barrels.

All the others get shot thousands of times a year at clay targets, and I like to hit a lot of them. So none sport barrels < 30" or weigh < 6.5 lbs lbs. My 30" 16 weighs 7 lbs on purpose, and I don't think it would be a hindrance on a pheasant hunt.

The gun I use the most for hunting hasn't changed in 30 years. It is a Parker VHE 20ga 28" barrels, double triggers, pistol grip with splinter forend and weighs 6lbs 3oz. Only thing about it I would change if I could would be it's grade. Sure wish it were an A grade or better as I have come to like really nice engraving and extreme wood.

My taste in doubleguns has been from one extreme to another it seems. I started out with a hand-me-down, restocked Stevens 311B 12 bore. I thought of that gun like it was a Rolls-Royce. I didn't want anything else. Then came along the American Round Action, Winchester Model 24..I didn't think it got much better than that. Then I chased after a pretty L.C. Smith field grade, I had reached the top...or so I thought. And thats pretty much the way its been for that past 10 years or so.
I've gone from having a big time interest in American made doubles, to taking a fancy to Spanish doubles, then I got on track to buying German made doubles...and then I found the wonderul world of French made doubles. I think I've found my "happy place" when it comes to the French sliding breech Darne and the triple bolted, wonderfully made Manufrance Ideal. These guns are just facinating, wonderfully built, incoporate ingenious design, lightweight, strong, ooze originality, and are very attractive, pretty much everything that I find fascinating about double guns.
Lately I have been buying up a small batch of English doubles. And I recently added an Italian O/U to the mix.....oh the madness of it all. :-)

The biggest change for me is that I used to hate cheek piece stocks. I really hated the way they looked. I wouldn't give the gun a second look if it had one. My mind changed when I ran across a 20 gauge Sauer. I really liked the way it handled. I purchased the gun and can honestly say that it is one of my favorite guns. This gun also changed my opinion of sling swivels also. I tried it out and I really like a sling on the gun! My newest obsession is sliding breach guns. I ran across a 16 gauge Halifax and loved the way it handled. It was in very sad shape so I didn't buy it. I really think I need to find one! Hope I can dig one up in the new year!

Dave B

I used to covet a sidelock. Now that I've owned sidelocks, I realize what an improvement the A&D boxlock really was. 1875 folks, that was the year that sidelocks were obsoleted by a better idea.

Sidelocks are fine for those who really like them, but I don't anymore.

I have switched to 3 shot Remi 31 Ltwt. Most double guns are to expensive to buy now. I no longer care for them as I once did, and most of my gun time which is not much) is spent on combing used racks for vintage repeaters.

WR Droplock is the most advanced SxS design.

Not much has changed for me. I still think the 16 is the ultimate upland gauge, just as I did when I shot my first one some 50+ years ago. I still like "field grade" guns; all that scratching looks good in photos, but doesn't do a thing for a gun in the field. I still like my guns like I like my women: basic, functional, a little honest wear is fine, not too much make up, please, and no falsies!

After now owning a Colt 1883 12 gauge with 28 in. barrels for 3 years, shooting it with low pressure loads in 3 sporting clays tournaments ( and winning once) I have a new appreciation for damascus and the fact that they can still be used still today. Years ago I would have just walked away from a twist barrel.