doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Somewhat OT: Roy Chapman Andrews' shotgun(s)?

As a kid I enjoyed Roy Chapman Andrews' accounts of his exploration of the Gobi desert region in the 1920s in search of dinosaurs. (He is mainly now known as the model for "Indiana Jones.") I remember he first used the MS 6.5x54mm carbine, and later settled on the Savage 99 cal. .250-3000 for hunting and defense against the natives, but don't recall what shotgun(s) he used in his expeditions.

I know he was a bird hunter from his youth in southern Wisconsin and was given a double by his father at an early age, but don't know what he used later. Anybody know or have a source?

A good hero if ever was one! I checked my library and the only thing I have is “Ends of the Earth” 1929 I don’t remember shotgun information but will do a quick scan and see if anything jumps out.

Other reading by RCA
Whale Hunting With Gun and Camera 1916
Camps and Trails in China 1918
Across Mongolian Plains 1921
My Favorite Stories 1950


The rifle in the picture may be a Savage Model 1920, I just can't tell for sure.

From an online search,

“For Andrews' ninth birthday, his father, who encouraged his son's sporting instincts, gave him a single-barrel shotgun with which he learned to hunt. In the process, he once mistakenly blew up three "geese," unaware that they were actually pneumatic decoys belonging to another hunter. "At the roar of my gun," Andrews recounted, the fragile geese "slowly collapsed with a gentle hissing sound." The incident so amused his father, who sorely disliked the decoys' owner, that he promptly bought Andrews a more-powerful double-barrel shotgun.”

If you like RCA, you might enjoy the book, "Dragon Hunter", by Charles Gallenkamp. It's a nice biography and a good read to boot.

It does mention that he used to enjoy duck shooting on his estate pond once he retired. Throughout the book there is very little mention of his "specimen collecting" and like so much of our PC world today, I suspect his shootiing activities are down-played.

Best,

C.

thanks, guys! Mike, you may be right about the Savage; I think I may have assumed that RCA used a 99; forgot about the 1920, which is just as logical a choice. Looking at the pic, I wonder if it is a half-stock MS rifle in 6.5x54?

I have some of those titles on inter-library loan and will keep my eyes open as I read them for "gun nut" data. I'm also searching for them in the various LA-area used book venues (yeah, I know about the online services like Amazon but where's the fun in that?).

RE: another thread--I bet that first RCA single barreled shotgun was a .410!

I have read one of RCA's books and the Dragon Hunter biography. One thing that always impressed me was his wife. She was right there with him, shoulder to shoulder, riding horses across the Gobi, and shooting all sorts of game.

They don't make many women like that anymore!

Speaking of great ones, My pin-up girl with her G&H rifle.

LTC Brophy quotes from a manuscript entitled "Mr. Millman vists the Hunter Arms Co., Inc." at page 8-13 of L.C. Smith Shotguns which, at page 12-13 quotes from a purported letter from Mr. Andrews stating that he favored the L.C. Smith gun, and descibing some of his exploits with it. I havent read John Houtchins' book, but wonder if this manuscript read by Brophy is still around. Interesting.

Only the lovely Ossa Johnson could look good in that hat...Geo

What I like about that photograph is the rifle's bolt knob is obviously quite proud of the stock where it is easily grasped. Look at her right index finger, its between the bolt knob and the stock even though the action is closed and the gun is scoped. The side mount used lets the iron sights remain functional.

I think there is a market still for a high quality low power small dia scope.

Nice photograph of two lovely specimens. I'd bet the stock dimensions were shotgun like too, so it came up natuarlly and shot where she was looking, w/the iron sights.