I just returned from a pretty good dove shoot we had this afternoon. Usually, well always actually I'm the only guy on the field with a sxs. A few collectors around here, but not many. Almost no shooters.
Today I was shooting a hammergun I bought from one of our guys in Hawaii on our for sale forum a few months ago. Its a "Symond's Keeper Gun" with the name E. Reece and Son, Christchurch on the sides. Birmingham proofs undoubtedly a low grade gun built for export to the colonys.
Surprisingly, while I was halfway across the field picking up a bird I'd wounded down, another shooter exclaimed that my hammergun was just like the one the guy next to him was shooting. I had to investigate. The other shooter was an old friend of mine who I had no idea had an interest in old doubles. He said he was shooting his because he knew I'd be there shooting some "odd old gun".
When I walked up to investigate, he was standing there with a badly bleeding trigger finger. He was indeed shooting a hammergun. He said the gun had been failing to fire with the left barrel and when he just tried it again, it shot without him having a good hold; thus the scraped and bloody finger.
I asked if I could take a look at his gun and let him examine mine. He said his was an old gun his dad had had forever and which the dad had picked up in a pawn shop. It sported the ominous W. Richards stamp on the locks and twist barrels with a cross pin hookup for the fore-end. The barrels were horribly off face and I didn't wonder why the left barrel was failing to fire. The stock was broken all round at the wrist and I was surprised it had not fallen apart in his hand with the production 12ga loads he was shooting.
When I dis-assembled the gun I showed my friend the Belgian proofs and explained all about the $5.00 hardware store imports from the last part of the 19th century with knock-off names meant to fool the unwary into thinking they were buying high quality guns, Westley Richards in this case. He was interested when I told him about the availability of Poly Wad and RST low pressure loads. I also told him I wouldn't fire his old double in the condition it was in with any shotshell.
He asked about repairs/renovation of his father's old double and I explained that it could be done, but he'd spend way more money than his gun would ever be worth. He seemed interested when I told him he could replace it with something like a dependable Husqvarna 51 or 52 model for about $500 bucks and that he'd be way better off and safer to boot.
It occurrred to me that every single thing I told the guy was what I had picked up here over the last 13 or 14 years of listening when you guys post. Thanks, and maybe we have a new 'recruit' to our hobby...Geo