doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Family Doubles

I know what you mean. Unless my computer crashes I will never lose our email conversations. I talk with Doug, Jr. from time to time, and cherish the 16 Ga. AE Fox he sold me, which was the last gun Doug acquired.

Good memories, all.

SRH

That is one strong argument for redoing family guns.

Not a family double but I did have a 03A3 restocked in a fine crotch black walnut blank harvested off my fathers farm, all metal refinished and polished then re-blued, a custom case built to hold it and a small metal plate with my Fathers service number, terminal rank and date of service. Took two years to complete it. I was very proud of it and it is the nicest 03A3 I ever held. Gave it to him for his 70-th birthday.

I never thought about how many memories it could bring back but we sat there for a long time while my father held it and looked at it. He never said a word after thanks. He has never shot it. He cleans it twice a year. On Veterans Day and the other day he explained to me was the day he lost his very best friend in WWII. The gun will come to me when he passes and I'll clean it three times a year, adding his birthday to the list. Honor men of honor when you can.

KY Jon, that's a neat thing you just shared.

KY JON, we'd all be honored if you were to be willing to share of picture of your father's rifle with the rest of us...Geo

Geo I gave it to him almost 25 years ago. I am sure I have a old photo of it somewhere if the Ex did not throw them all out. She got nasty towards the end. He has the rifle and as you can understand I am in no hurry to get it. But rest assured that is one rifle I will never part with and the son who gets it after me will understand what it is and why he has to clean it three times a year. Not four but three times.

I did inherit my uncles, fathers younger brother, Crescent .410 so that shows you how fancy my family was with doubles. He was deadly with it on quail. I take it dove hunting once every year to remember him and his struggles in life. He had a mild case of Polio as a boy, then Scarlett Fever. Even as a young boy he seemed terribly crippled to me. Man lived to 80, crippled with arthritis and the effects of Polio. Never complained, never retired, never asking for help or even accepting a handicapped parking tag. You learn a lot from watching a man like that.

I didn't get Grandpa's PH-Grade Parker, a third cousin has it, but I do have my Father's Remington AE-Grade 12-gauge, --



his VH-Grade Parker Bros., his 1953 vintage Model 70 30-06 and his Sako Vixen heavy barrel .222 Magnum. I'm not 100% sure if that is my Father's AE-Grade Remington in this photo or a KED-Grade he had earlier that he gave to his youngest brother upon his return from WW-II.

Now that's hunting attire!

Researcher - You sure have your Dad's good looks... especially the eyes.

My family were all double guys, I tried to get them as most of the family didn't carry on the hunting tradition. As follows;

1. My Dad gave me his Richardson 20 ga. sxs. Nothing to brag about, but a most prized gun from a man of few means. My son has been shooting it for years.
2. Dad's Mercury 12 ga., same as above, was given to my brother in law, a non hunter. It was stolen from his home some years ago.
3. Dad's Meridan 12 ga. My brother has it. Illness has forced him to quit hunting and he's going to give it to me.
4. Grandpa's Fox 16 ga., my Grandma gave it to me years ago.
5. Uncle's Winchester Model 24....think it was a 16 but not sure. My Aunt, after his death, took the gun apart and threw the pieces in 3 separate dumpsters! I know, many of you would say that was a just end to a 24.
6. Lastly, a Stevens 311 .410 that was the family starter gun for children and grandchildren. I've carried on the tradition and my grandkids have all started with the same gun.

I still keep my eye open for a Mercury, though it was one of the cheap Spanish doubles that hit the market in the late 50's it was one pheasant killing machine. As a matter of fact, if you could gather all the pheasants up that the above guns shot you'd likely fill a 48' trailer. Most of those guns were carried in SD cornfields when South Dakota really had a lot of birds.