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Traded into another Darne last week:



Mid 1970s vintage V19 20 gauge. Straight stock, swamped rib. I’m thinking the butt plate might be one of the urethane reproductions, as it is a little too perfect, and has not shrunk. That would be exactly one Darne plastic butt plate I’ve seen, in forty years, that hasn’t shrunk.

Interesting wood:




Not too much to lug around. It is actually lighter in weight than my 28 gauge V19:



Porky 28 gauge on the scale:



Maintenance consisted of moving all the screws back into north/south alignment, expected after 45 or so years, clean and light lube. Someone decided to remove about .010” from each barrel, not sure if forcing cones or chamber length have been altered, and, mostly don’t care. Chokes come in about .008 and .027, call it IC and Full, I suppose. Stock does not appear to be cast either way, and LOP is an honest 14 3/4”. I would say it has been well cared for. Triggers both break well under the weight of the gun, my usual trigger test since my trigger scale died.

I have looked for a long time for a straight stocked, swamped rib 20 gauge Darne, to replace the gun pictured in The Double Gun Journal, a gun that I sold in a silly moment. Had a very hard time missing with that gun, and didn’t really know just what a gift that was.

Best,
Ted