doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Quality or Quantity

Great English gameguns are meant for the field - it has been to it many times rain or shine. It'll do so again.
The expensive American gun is kept under lock and key to guard it's condition.
Those who have lifted a London gun, know it wasn't bought for the amount of case color remaining.

A friend that shoots a lot (10s of Ks per year) from his few hunting guns, commmented that H&H guns had a rep of not holding up to high volume shooting. Comments?

Chuck, just what do you think these chaps were doing in the days of high brace counts.
Ask your friend this okay!
Big shoots, lots of birds, expensive guns and rich ol'sods - what do you think?

I think he's talking about much higher volume than 'high brace counts' (shooting enough to fatigue parts and wearout parts in a CSM 21).

The Holland & Holland Royal is a strong action. Personally, a 1880s gun would not be my choice - you will pay a lot more than you will for a decent 1920s one and the quality won't be appreciably different in your favour.

I always take a spare gun on a driven day in any case - always have a back-up gun.

A best English sidelock is not a beast to subject to 'home smithing'. Have it stripped, cleaned and serviced every couple of years by a properly apprenticed gunmaker. The cost is trifling relative to the value of the gun - or even compared with a routine car service that we all do without batting an eyelid.

H have a Purdey sidelock that I have used for everything from rough walk-up shooting, to duck blind work, to formal driven days and sporting clays. Fired thousands of shots without mishap and it is as tight as the day I bought it. These guns are made for repeated fireing of the correct load.

You have to be comfortable with your purchase - I am perfectly comfortable walking through a wet hedge with my Purdey. If you are not, you won't feel relaxed when you are out.

I am also comfortable with teh £7000 I invested in it but a friend put £20,000 into a Purdey live pigeon gun and never settled with it - he worried that he had too much cash in the gun and sold it after 12-months of never being really happy.

I think its an 1980's gun, Dig, not 1880.
O T....Did you ever get my Email about H Y Andrews Toledo Steel works, Sheffield bbls?
Hope you make the right decision Huntersdad...its one only you can make
franc

A typo on my part - I did indeed mean 1980s - I guess my finger is naturally drawn to the '18' rather than the '19' when typing about guns from force of habit.

I have not been able to find any references to Toledo Steel Works. A mystery.

Another perspective....

When we die, most of our guns are then sold, with a few being passed on to our progeny. What is the difference if they are sold/traded now -- or later? We have had the pleaseure of owning, using, and admiring them for some time, but eventually they will all pass to new owners.

Trading up to the Holland sounds like a great idea, as long as you still keep one or two "old favorite" hunting SxS's.

Most of us, myself included, own many more shotguns than we can regularly use. Thinning out the collection from time to time is probably healthy and worthwhile.

JERRY

By 1980 production, you had better look hard at that best. There are era's for everything, and that was a bleak period for most English gunmaker's.

I wouldn't sell anything I shot really, really well-been there, done that. Don't sell grandpa's gun. Give further consideration to what loads and games you will be shooting in the future-a 20 bore Royal will suck if you are forced to use steel for hunting.

Adrift in this world of double guns, several things I've mostly learned. An English sidelock best is a delicate piece of machinery. They are not typically as reliable as a good pump. That doesn't mean I haven't loved various copies I've owned, nor will it prevent me from lusting after, or owning more good sidelock doubles. You will end up beholden to a good gunsmith. Good gunsmith's like steak and shrimp as much as anyone else.

Temper your desire's with the above, and see if the gun remains in the cards. Enjoy using it, if it does. If you are not enjoying it, find one you do.

Best,
Ted

I don't agree with that...