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Browning double autos come my way quite often and I personally like them. I keep a very tatty old one that shoots great - mostly for duck shooting when the weather is really vile.

I have the possibility of buying a whole collection of them over here. As for the Greener martini action, I can get them cheap and I thought they may have novelty value in the US, likewise the Webley & Scott .410s.

Anyway, thanks for the info, much appreciated. I'll hoover up all the double twos and twelvettes I can find and perhaps just bring a couple of teh others and see how they go.

Glenn, no rifle actions I'm afraid.

Mike H, your stuff is with the shipping agent now, as is Gil's Lanc.Purdey still waiting for Nick.

Chief, I'll make sure you get the nod.

Hope to be over for the Vintagers in September, then maybe again in December.

Smallbore, can you give us the "block of instruction" on how to buy a gun at a British auction or from a British dealer and get it over here without the normal paperwork, delay, and storage in questionable conditions? Can guns be sent quickly to stateside licensed importers to be transferred by normal U.S. procedures to the ultimate owner? What about "exempt" old guns? Can they be mailed directly from the auctioneer to the U.S. purchaser? Can a U.K. dealer bring a gun to the Vintagers for delivery to a U.S. buyer? If someone were to purchase a gun this summer from a U.K. auction, is there a quick way to have a Vintagers exhibitor from the U.K. deliver it to a U.S. purchaser or licensed importer? I see that some U.S. dealers claim to be agents for U.K. auction houses. Does this simplify the delivery procedure or does the ultimate owner still have to jump through the hoops? Thanks for answering at least a couple of these mysterious questions. Bill Murphy wilmrph@verizon.net

The sands shift, so answers may not be correct for along time but:

If you want a gun sent to the USA or anywhere else, it is MUCH easier for all concerned if you have a gun dealer (FFL in the US) to receive it for you.

I use an agent here who does a lot of this and therefre keeps abrest of shippers, rates, changes in procedures, rules etc.He won't spill the beans on exactly what he does or what tricks he is using to get things done fast - because it is his business and in this case 'knowledge is money'.

In the UK you need to apply for an export licence to export a firearm whatever its age. There are no 'exempt' old guns in UK law except those on the obsolete calibre list (for example a .500/450 BPE rifle. another example-any 12-bore is legally a shotgun and subject to firearms legislation, regardless of age.

A UK gun dealer can bring a gun to the Vintagers, as long as all the paperwork is done in advance. with pre 1897 guns this is easier because once he arrives in the USA, his RFD ifrom the UK is invalid, but the pre 1897 gun is considered 'antique' in the states and a licence there is not required.If the gun is considered afirearm in the US, someone with authority to possess the firearm would have to be there to take possession of it at the airport.

Whoever youare working for, you still have to negotiate the legislative requirements of the exporting country and the importing requirements of the other.

Dig, Not to hijack the thread, but approximately how much does shipping, export fees, and import duty add to the price of an average transaction? Does this change in anyway if you were to bring the gun here yourself vs having it shipped? I do have a FFL dealer that handles all of my transactions on my end, so that is a fixed amount.

I too would be interested in a Greener Martini action for single shot rifle conversion.

Woodcock Hill advertised them a couple of years ago as a favor to another dealer but the guy never came through (or even answered back).

Wanna make me one of those harpoon guns that Quint used in JAWS!

I was watching it the other night for the umpteenth time, just the last hour when they're out fishing. Hey, that's a chromed Greener!

R Rob, the Greener harpoon guns are not converted rifles or shotguns, they are factory built harpoon guns. They are not rare and we can have one if we look a bit. When I was a pup, they were in the A&F catalog as I recall. They probably never sold one but they looked neat in the catalog.

I have seen two Greener Harpoon guns come up for sale - maybe three.

Apparently one was used on a yacht and when demonstrated to impress the locals the recoil knocked the user overboard and he never used it again.

A long, long time ago, in a sportshop far, far away, I took delivery of a Greener Harpoon Gun for gentleman who was a regular and very good customer of our store. I don't remember why he ordered it, but I remember vividly riding over to the US Customs office in Bladensburg MD to sign and take delivery for it. The distinguishing memory other than the gun itself was the exhilarating smell of the fresh green paint on and in the case. They are beautifully finished and fascinating weapons. Also remember the vivid contrast of the pure white harpoon line agains the green case, and the gleaming steel harpoon heads and cartridge compartments. Haven't seen one in years but what a neat gun! KBM