doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Average age of BBSers

Reality rears its Head! July 1953-My 15th B/Day-I brought my 1st Shotgun, Harrington & Richardson 12b S/B.3" x 32"Full Choke.Took it into Purdeys Workshop and my "Gaffer" started me onto my 1st Restocker.(I was laughed at for owning a "Yank Gas-Pipe")I killed 'Many,Many Woodies" and we got 9Pence each from the local Butcher. Cartidge's Free from the Pigeon Control People. Hadn't started on the Beer at that time,so funds went on more Knives & Guns..It had a "Nice French Walnut Stock" Loaned it to another Apprentice who lost over the side of a "Duck-Boat" out on the 'Fens"....C/C-DT.

In 1953, when I was 11, I got my first shotgun, a Stevens 410, bolt action, clip fed. My first real hunt was a Sunday Fox Hunt where 20 or so hunters would get together and station even numbers of hunters on each side of an Iowa square mile section. Then the hunters would walk in rows toward the center of the section, hoping to flush out a fox. All used shotguns. To my surprise and amazement, a fox ran down a hedge row straight toward me. I shot when I thought I should and the fox rolled over a few times and with head up just looked at me. I later found that I had broken three of his legs with the shot, a trick I will probably never duplicate. That day brought my only jackrabbit, too. I was amazed that the fox and jackrabbit were similar in size. I still have the gun.

cc/dt with his 'gas pipe'



How 'bout one of you Daryl?

I'll be 59 in March. My first double was a Savage O/U I bought in Billings about 1973(?). A genuine POS, but I saw an experienced trap shooter run about 20 birds the gun. I never could hit a thing with it and graduated to a Model 12 I bought in Ketchikan the next year. The oldest, longest owned shotgun I have is a 20 ga. single-barrel flintlock fowler I built for myself in 1985.

Same as rabbit, even to having some similar twin-single supers.

First double was a 16ga. 311 Stevens at age 13. It got my full attention; that thing would stomp a mud hole in my arm. It did teach me NOT to put both fingers inside the trigger guard;-)Bagged a few rabbits and dove with that old blaster, but finally surrendered and replaced it when the horse trad'n gene took over.

I am 76,[ 2nd oldest in this string!]I was born in the U.K. At 12-14 years old I was was told to put aside my air rifle and take the farm gun,a W.Richards hammer gun complete with pitted barrels, action off-the-face, B.P. proof and of course Eley smokless shells, and go scare the sparrows in the rick yard and ajoining wheat fields! I used this old gun and a Belgian S.B.410 to shoot pigeons, rabbits, partridge,wild fowl and even a few sparrows. I finally aquired a first class Westley Richards hammer gun at age 17 and returned the old Richards to the broom closet.Since that date all that pertains to guns and shooting has been and continues to be an important part of my life.

I am 64. My first double was a 410 with 2 ½” chambers that I got from my Father’s Aunt when I was 14. I used to shoot 3” shell thru it and yes I still have all of my fingers. I sold the 410 to my Brother in Law about 40 years ago. I currently have 13 doubles of which most are Remington 1894’s.

54 - sooner than I wish. I took my first mallard hen on Horicon Marsh 42 years ago with a Sterlingworth. My dad and brother had pumps and this SxS was the only shotgun left in the gun case. I finally have that gun back and it will be my project gun for next winter. I now have 2-Trojans, 1 - Stevens 5100, 1-Renato Gamba, 1 Ithaca Lewis and the Sterlingworth.

39 at the beginning of this month and have been shooting doubles almost exclusively since the old man gave me his Flues for my 12th birthday. The old Flues is still around, but I shoot British guns nowadays. Mostly boxlocks and lower end guns until I fell into a Holland this year. I hope to bag a few more roosters with it before the season ends Sunday.

My average age is 46. At work it is a little older, at home I try to be younger. My first double was a 20 gauge Classic Doubles 201 that I got when I was in my mid-20's. I still have it although it is probably the last gun I'd choose today if I was going hunting. I bought two O/U guns first before switching over to doubles. I didn't have friends or family that were bird hunters nor did I know anyone else that had a shotgun with more than one barrel. I was enticed by what I saw in Shooting Sportsman, Double Gun Journal, Gray's, etc.

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