doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Darne V19

George,
Almost all Darnes have a threaded rod in the wrist. It has wood screws on the outside, and machine screw threads on the inside. That same rod makes it almost impossible to bend the stock for the cast, right or left, that you need. I always tell people to forget buying a Darne that doesn't fit.
It looks like a good, but, advanced, gunsmithing project that will keep you out of the pool hall in the coming year. Enjoy it.
The design of your gun, and, a Charlin sliding breech gun, miss the true advantage of Regis Darne's model R and V sliding breech guns, in my opinion. That is because they both feature a pin in a hinge, same as a Purdey or a Stevens, or the hinge on a barn door. The model R and V guns avoid that, and spread the wear surfaces out over the entire length of the gun's action. I've never owned a P, but, have examined quite a few, and wouldn't likely turn a decent one down if it came my way and it fit.
That said, most of us won't live long enough to wear a gun out from using it.
Do keep us posted on your progress.

Best,
Ted

Ted, the threaded rod that holds the stock on was a poor design all that held it on was a small thin flang on the end. I am going to thread the action, re-drill the stock and put a solid steel rod though the stock. I will then cut to length and thread for a nut under the butt plate. This will give me a substantial stock hook up that will pull the stock into the action. I will glass bed the stock because it is too thin and weak. This will be stage one. George.

Ted:

If I recall correctly, this is the third P-19 to surface in a couple of months. Wonder why so many buyers would have chosen the P over the V for the grade 19 finish? Maybe a substantial price difference or the Darne factory trying to move old parts inventory? Mine has initials inlay, so it certainly wasn't something just grabbed off the rack.

George:

Does your gun have an inlay with owner's initials?

Paul

Really hard to say from where we sit today, Paul. George's gun is a long way from new, right around 100 years, I'd guess, and from the looks of it, I'd say it has seen some modifications to keep it chugging along.
The 1909 catalog I have says that the gold inlay was a standard feature of a P gun. I really like the engraving on the detonators on George's gun, can't wait to see it cleaned up a bit.
Nothing about this gun says "off the rack" to me. It would have cost a lot of money when it was new.

Best,
Ted

When I started to drill for a new stock bolt I got quite a surprise, the stock had a 1/2" cast on. Could not see through the hole because of the curve in the stock. That is why the original stock bolt was replaced with a 1/4 threaded rod which bent to follow the stock bolt hole. The stock was given the cast on after it left the factory as it is very difficult to drill a curved hole. So now I am trying to figure how to make a new stock bolt with that much cast on. If I drill a new stright hole there is a great chance of coming out through the wrist as it is very thin.

Paul my gun does not have a shield for initials. George

George,
Send a photo or two of your progress from time to time, and I'll put them up on the board. Nice to see the stages and how it comes together.
Few people would attempt something like this.

Best,
Ted

I will. I am still trying to determine if the stock is factory. It is high grade wood but somebody must have steamed it for a year to get that much cast on. It has a original horn butt plate.

Another picture of George's project Darne P grade 19. He reports the stock has been replaced at one point, and he is confident the action is tight and working well (damn lucky, since the stock work was less than stellar).

He is working up a replacement bolt and fitting for the stock, and intends to build a new stock for it.



Keep at it, George.

Best,
Ted

My 16 bore Darne is a V17. The Parisian dealer I bought it from insisted that it was a P17. He had a bunch of certificates on his walls attesting to his expertise and at that time I didn't know the difference. The only way it differs from a V19 is that it doesn't have a long tang behind the trigger guard and of course has only 7 stars.
I believe it might be possible to bend a Darne stock up or down. Remove the threaded screw from the wrist, bore the hole a bit wider and deeper and glue in a walnut plug. Make a jig that mates with the flats of the stock, secure stock to it using whatever means that will protect the wood, then use heat lamps over a protracted period of time with a steady pressure in the right direction. Afterwards, reinstall the threaded bolt/screw, whatever it's called, in the wrist. I haven't done it, am not about to do it but I think it might work.
nial