I've been a friend of Buck Hamlin since 1985; have visited his Pevely, MO shop twice and spent many hours with him on the telephone. He's been generous with his time and sharing his knowledge; and has been a tremendous mentor when it comes to my double gun knowledge. In regards to the above questions by Keith and barrel browning, Buck can do black and white; he just doesn't want to. He hasn't told me why, but all his barrels are brown and white unless you are perhaps someone he feels he owes a favor and will make a special exception. As to his work, he performs all aspects of double gun restoration and repair EXCEPT engraving which he subs out. I'm not sure who does his engraving work nowadays, as the gentleman from Tennessee he'd used for years met his demise when he fell off his tractor and was run over by a bush hog. Buck tells me that he doesn't like to build stocks anymore; too time consuming, but will still do so on occasion.

Over the years Buck has performed a number of double gun repairs and restorations for me, and Gold40's H Grade brought to mind my G Grade Buck restored years ago; and the gun that lead to my introduction to Buck Hamlin. I had attended a gun show in Gainesville, GA; and while there met a Lefever collector, Garfield Beckstead, who was displaying his great collection of Lefever guns in all grades and gauges to include an Optimus. Up to that point I wouldn't consider any guns other than those marked "Parker Bros."; but that Optimus
forever changed my perspective and I began to appreciate and look for other great American made guns so that my Parker collection went from 12 guns to zero. But while at his table Mr. Beckstead showed me a project Lefever; a G Grade 12-bore extractor gun in the 3XXXX serial number range with 30" Damascus barrels and no forend. Who knows where the forend went, but the gun appeared virtually new with all the Damascus pattern, brilliant case colors, and an English walnut stock with stunning figure and color that should have been on a much higher grade gun. It was probably overpriced at $400 with a missing forend, and I knew absolutely nothing about Lefever shotguns; but my heart said buy it. It was while searching for a forend that I met Buck. He found a complete H Grade forend with wood that matched the color of the buttstock, replaced the original perished and crumbling pad (added the new pad to the base of the old at my request for extra LOP), and refinished and re-checkered both pieces. In 1985 we didn't know as much about Damascus barrel strength as we do today, and my one regret is that I had that mint set of barrels mono-blocked (sleeved ?); but even worse, let Buck talk me into reducing their length to 26" (I'd requested 28"). But I was young and we all live and learn, so I only fault myself for the short barrels decision. As things turned out, Buck finished his experiments with attempts at exploding Damascus barrels shortly after he finished my Lefever; and after concluding that Damascus barrels were stronger than any loads a sane person would shoot, stopped mono-blocking/sleeving barrels altogether (mine could have been the last?)

But regardless of my barrel regrets, this G Grade remains one heck of a looker and a shooter. It's light, fits me well, has been carried many miles, used to take lots of small game; and the original case colors are still as brilliant now and when the gun was acquired. And best of all I've accumulated some great memories with this gun, although one is a bit sad as this was the gun I used to take my last wild Bob White quail almost 20 years ago. That bird was a hen; and with wild quail almost non-existent in the areas I hunted then and now, I resolved never to shoot another.