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Forums10
Topics38,479
Posts545,212
Members14,410
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Most Online1,335
Apr 27th, 2024
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Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 916 Likes: 1
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 916 Likes: 1 |
For me the hook was in the Browning catalogs of the early 1980s. Hunters on both sides of the family. Started with a Rem. M-12 octagonal barrel .22 that my dad got from his. Still have it. When my dad got older he gave me this Rem. M-10, that he also got from his dad and used for pheasants almost his entire adult life. I included it since this thread has much about family hunting history, and because I found my grandfather's 1918 hunting license under the buttplat -- bought a week before my dad was born. This was a prairie grouse gun then, no pheasant hunting in MN yet.   First shotgun I used for pheasants, about 1964 at age 12, was a 20 ga. Wingmaster my dad bought from a friend for me to use. He later gave it to my brother, and gave me a full choked 12 ga. Rem. M-11. In my late 20s I wanted a new gun with more open choke, and those Citori and BSS descriptions and pics in the Browning catalogs enticed me like the toys in the Sears and Wards Christmas catalogs when I was little. Started with a 20 ga. Citori Sporter, then a 12 ga. BSS Sporter, and the SxS bug hasn't left since -- eight of them and counting. Sometimes tell myself I should sell some that get little use these days, but it doesn't happen. Jay
Last edited by Gunflint Charlie; 12/18/13 10:10 AM.
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Joined: May 2011
Posts: 742
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 742 |
Always thought sxs looked cool, but never got smitten with them until I picked up a "best" gun at a gun show that happened to be in my price range and was a perfect fit for me. It was a Greener Facil Princeps actioned Belgian barreled wonder wand with some well done scroll work to boot. Used it for a decade until I decided to sacrifice it and a few others to finance my first safari to Africa--good reason, but not good enough in hindsight to have parted with a gun that fit that well. Now I have a few drillings which also happen to have a magic touch. Steve
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Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 254
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 254 |
It happened when I was about 17, and visited grandpa's farm for a weekend. Small game season wasn't open, so I didn't pack my Sears 12 ga auto. I found that hundreds of crows were migrating over the farm, and borrowed a double from the next door neighbor. Foreend held on with electrical tape, had to knock the mudwasp's nest out of one barrel, and never had so much fun in my life! Two boxes of shells later, the dead crows were all over the hill I was shooting from. I think it was a Stevens 311, or clone from Monkey Wards, definitely not a Facil Princeps....
Last edited by xs hedspace; 12/19/13 09:01 AM.
hippie redneck geezer
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 5,088 Likes: 36
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 5,088 Likes: 36 |
Walking through the Kittery Trading Post gun room in the late 1980's. Back then there were thousands of guns in racks.
I had been using a 12ga Browning BPS Upland Special for all my hunting, including upland. I remember picking up and shouldering either a Ithaca or Nitro Special. I was hooked.
My problem lies in reconciling my gross habits with my net income.
- Errol Flynn
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Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 2,018 Likes: 50
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 2,018 Likes: 50 |
Since I first started shooting a shotgun it has been with a SxS.
My father started me on a German 16ga Guild gun and my first shotgun purchase was a 16ga Sterlingworth.
I believe that Jack O'Connor's Shootgun Book cemented me into what I was already doing
Over the years the quality of my guns has improved, but I have never varied much from Doubles. I have used O/U a little, but no longer own any. The only auto I have is a family gun which I will always keep.
Last edited by old colonel; 12/19/13 01:23 PM.
Michael Dittamo
Topeka, KS
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Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 2
Boxlock
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Boxlock
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 2 |
I have an old coach gun mfg in England the company is London arms coompany it is black powder with damascus barrel. I found some info that said that this company started in 1855 and closed in 1866 they supplied a lot of firearms during the civil war both north and south mostly south. Any help on knowing more would be helpful.
BOUNTY HUNTER
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Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 89 Likes: 2
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 89 Likes: 2 |
I love hearing about all the old stories of family members who passed down doubles. My love for doubles occurred much more recently. I met my wife in 05 in a bar in Atlanta. We decided to get married and I packed my clothes in Seattle and moved to the South. I grew up hunting pheasants in WA and my dad gave me an 870 Wingmaster when I was about 12. I still love that gun , but when I moved to GA I was told by my wife's patient I needed a 20ga. He is a born and bred Southerner who loves doubles. He then told me I needed a break action gun if I wanted to hunt many of the Southern Plantations. I dreamnt of ownig a double, but as a newlywed, a new gun wasn't really in the picture. Then one day I came home from work on valantines day only to fin a note from my wife , and a trail of rose pedals scattered through the house. The end of the trail led to a 686 White Onyx with the best wood I've ever seen on a White Onyx, or even most SPIII's. I've hunted with that gun religiously ever since, but always dreamnt about an AYA #2 RB or a classic LC Smith. 2 months ago the LC smith fell into my lap and I'm now the proud owner of a very rare LC Smith Trap Grade 20. Not only that, the double gun bug transferred from me to my dad and brother as well. My Brother now ownes a really nice 686SP, my dad ownes a SP V, and has a CSMC Inverness on order. I can honestly say that With the exception of my 870, I will probably never hunt with a single barrel gun again. I have been bit by the double gun bug. Now I just need more money to buy more doubles.
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Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 9,381 Likes: 1
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 9,381 Likes: 1 |
When I was six or seven I had one of those metal & wood sxs toys that broke to load springs just like normal game gun. One would then put something through front to have it ejected out with decent force. Used to watch Italian westerns where rifles were lever Winchesters handguns SA Colts and shotguns SxS.
The side by side is now Remington pump the Colt a Glock and I do not currently own a rifle. I do like Wingmaster a whole lot. It's light handles well and I have spare
20" barrel with IC, Mod, Full plus rifled chokes for buckshot and foster/sabot slug shooting. It's hard to go wrong with that rain or shine.
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Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 94
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 94 |
In 1957 when I was five years old I begged mom and dad to let me go out with dad hunting ducks. I was a tough sale, dad didn't know how to swim and nearly drown a couple of years before and mom instilled a great fear of water in us kids that lasts until this very day!
Dad grew up on Reeds Lake near Waterville, MN. and new everyone one the lake at the time. Everyone was a neighboring farmer and let him hunt anytime and when we would go, the neighbors enjoyed chatting so much with him I usually wondered if the season would be over by the time we got out to hunt.
On my first time along we went in on Leo Lymm's farm, across the lake from my grandparents place. It was quite cold that morning and mom had me buckled up with homemade clothes including two handknit sweaters that were way too big for me, but, I would grow into later. As we walked down the hill to the duck blind I could see a red spot in the darkness near the lake. It turns out Grandpa Frank and Uncle Bill were already situated and puffing away on their Camels and keeping a watch for ducks. Back in those days shooting was not allowed until sunrise, but, the sky was full of ducks already. The thing I remember so distinctly is the continuous flow of V-shaped wedges flying South as you looked for the rising sun. To this day, I have never seen as many as I did that day. A short time later a big tall fella came walking over the hill towards the blind. Now dad was 6'1" tall and this guy was much bigger. I later learn it is my cousin Roger whom I now see quite regularly. The instructions were simple, stay down and don't get up until the shooting stops. Which is what I did. We had a grand time, the B.S. flowed as if the Spring rains had overflowed the banks of the Mississippi. The shooting was fast and furious and by the time everybody was ready to head in a get ready for church they all had their limits. Grandpa had a Remington Model 10 that was later stolen. Dad and cousin Roger had Winchester Model 1912s and Uncle Bill had a Stevens SXS. Every gun was a 12 gauge, so no one would get the wrong shells. The ammo was Remington and Peters highbase. And in those days you didn't have the grocery store choice of paper or plastic!
When I turned 14 dad got me a Mossberg 500 20 gauge that I shot so much, I plum wore it out.
In the 1970's I got acquainted with a fellow that frequented at dad's gas station by the name of Buzz. It turns out that Buzz was a Browning sales representative that covered five states here in the midwest and he grew up in Montana. When ever Buzz and I went pheasant hunting, he would insist on me leaving the Mossberg in the case because, "Being a Browning Rep. I won't be caught within 500 feet of one those things!" I always had the pick of his sales samples. While there were many to choose from I usually took the Superposed Superlight 20. Eventually Buzz quit working for Browning and moved back to Montana and I was lucky enough to shoot the 2nd Nimrod Shoot at Polson on his squad some years back with a Model 21 20 gauge. We had a small wager on the side just to make it interesting. Of coarse, being from Minnesota I couldn't offer Super Bowl tickets, so, I put up 25 pounds of lutefisk, he beat me by 1!
Now, I really don't know when I was hooked on doubles, because I have always liked them since I saw the one my namesake carried when I was a young kid. It may have been then, if not, Buzz set the hook! After buying a Browning A-5 20 Magnum, my next purchase was a BS/S 20 gauge with 26" barrels.
That first encounter with a SXS was 56 years ago. Uncle Bill, well he was a WW I Vet, as was Grandpa Frank. Cousin Roger is still around and my old friend Buzz is still in Montana, and It turns out Buzz likes the SXS too and we talk quite often. The names on the dogs have changed as have my shooting skills and my age, but, If you guys keep posting this stuff to keep me entertained, I won't forget what it is like to hunt with good dogs, good friends and a good double gun.
This ain't Dodge City, and you ain't Bill Hickok!-Matthew Quigley
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Joined: May 2008
Posts: 8,158 Likes: 114
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 8,158 Likes: 114 |
In 1957 when I was five years old I begged mom and dad to let me go out with dad hunting ducks. I was a tough sale, dad didn't know how to swim and nearly drown a couple of years before and mom instilled a great fear of water in us kids that lasts until this very day!
Dad grew up on Reeds Lake near Waterville, MN. and new everyone one the lake at the time. Everyone was a neighboring farmer and let him hunt anytime and when we would go, the neighbors enjoyed chatting so much with him I usually wondered if the season would be over by the time we got out to hunt.
On my first time along we went in on Leo Lymm's farm, across the lake from my grandparents place. It was quite cold that morning and mom had me buckled up with homemade clothes including two handknit sweaters that were way too big for me, but, I would grow into later. As we walked down the hill to the duck blind I could see a red spot in the darkness near the lake. It turns out Grandpa Frank and Uncle Bill were already situated and puffing away on their Camels and keeping a watch for ducks. Back in those days shooting was not allowed until sunrise, but, the sky was full of ducks already. The thing I remember so distinctly is the continuous flow of V-shaped wedges flying South as you looked for the rising sun. To this day, I have never seen as many as I did that day. A short time later a big tall fella came walking over the hill towards the blind. Now dad was 6'1" tall and this guy was much bigger. I later learn it is my cousin Roger whom I now see quite regularly. The instructions were simple, stay down and don't get up until the shooting stops. Which is what I did. We had a grand time, the B.S. flowed as if the Spring rains had overflowed the banks of the Mississippi. The shooting was fast and furious and by the time everybody was ready to head in a get ready for church they all had their limits. Grandpa had a Remington Model 10 that was later stolen. Dad and cousin Roger had Winchester Model 1912s and Uncle Bill had a Stevens SXS. Every gun was a 12 gauge, so no one would get the wrong shells. The ammo was Remington and Peters highbase. And in those days you didn't have the grocery store choice of paper or plastic!
When I turned 14 dad got me a Mossberg 500 20 gauge that I shot so much, I plum wore it out.
In the 1970's I got acquainted with a fellow that frequented at dad's gas station by the name of Buzz. It turns out that Buzz was a Browning sales representative that covered five states here in the midwest and he grew up in Montana. When ever Buzz and I went pheasant hunting, he would insist on me leaving the Mossberg in the case because, "Being a Browning Rep. I won't be caught within 500 feet of one those things!" I always had the pick of his sales samples. While there were many to choose from I usually took the Superposed Superlight 20. Eventually Buzz quit working for Browning and moved back to Montana and I was lucky enough to shoot the 2nd Nimrod Shoot at Polson on his squad some years back with a Model 21 20 gauge. We had a small wager on the side just to make it interesting. Of coarse, being from Minnesota I couldn't offer Super Bowl tickets, so, I put up 25 pounds of lutefisk, he beat me by 1!
Now, I really don't know when I was hooked on doubles, because I have always liked them since I saw the one my namesake carried when I was a young kid. It may have been then, if not, Buzz set the hook! After buying a Browning A-5 20 Magnum, my next purchase was a BS/S 20 gauge with 26" barrels.
That first encounter with a SXS was 56 years ago. Uncle Bill, well he was a WW I Vet, as was Grandpa Frank. Cousin Roger is still around and my old friend Buzz is still in Montana, and It turns out Buzz likes the SXS too and we talk quite often. The names on the dogs have changed as have my shooting skills and my age, but, If you guys keep posting this stuff to keep me entertained, I won't forget what it is like to hunt with good dogs, good friends and a good double gun. What is lutefisk?? A Norwegian version of pickled herring perhaps. The only time, until now, I had encountered that term was in a Jim Harrison short story- "The Man Who Lost His Name" The main character is from a family of Scandanavian descent living in WI- scenes take place in the late 1950-early 1960 years, then later on as he finishes college and becomes a finance guy with Standard Oil--good story. His father also smoked Camels, and built vacation homes for the "downstate rich"!!
"The field is the touchstone of the man"..
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