doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Darnes, opinions

Another observation on stock LOP. All of my Darnes LOP's are at least 1/2" to 1" longer than what I would normally shoot in either straight grip or semi-pistol. My standard actioned guns I shoot 14 5/8" LOP on a straight stock. My Darnes with straight stock are 15 1/4". Stock dimensions at either the dac, dah, toe in/out and cast remain the same. Hand placement is different when using a Darne, the feel will be much different than what you're used to but it takes no time at all to get used to it.
When it comes to the old school tight bores and chokes, I found that using loads with felt or fiber wads improves patterns a lot.
I've owned a few Darnes over the years. Still own and use a nice Halifax 16 as my go to chukar gun. Old ones, new ones, V and R's, all lightweights, 12, 20, 16's. I seriously loved them all. There's a few I still wish I had. If I ever buy another one, I'll be bringing it in from France. The prices there are much more reasonable for higher graded guns. In the future, I'd like to find a nice Bruchet 12 or 16, straight grip, V-19 or V-21 with 28" bbls.

Even worse, Ted, you drive a Citroen, and nowadays, PBR is conformity reversed. The fact remains, Darnes are strange guns. I yield to the fact that you love them, and that's a good thing.
JR

I have 2, a 10 gauge R model (finished equivalent to an R-10, but old enough that I don't think it was then described as such)with 27-1/2 inch barrels and a 12 gauge P model finished to grade 19 with 30 inch barrels. Both are lovely guns, although the 12 gauge trigger pull is a bit heavy and not really adjustable (both Kirk Merrington and Geoffrey Gournet have looked at the issue and said they wouldn't touch it and JJ Perodeau passed without looking at the gun after hearing Kirk and Geoffrey had tried without success), so I would recommend having a trigger pull gauge with you in addition to the other measuring tools. Both had adult sized stocks (14 inches plus) and relatively little drop, which meant I could shoot them without changing my shooting style.

I have looked extensively for a long barreled 28 gauge, but have not located any that were within my price range.

16 gauge guns with short barrels (25-1/2 inches) seem to predominate and many have stocks with lots of drop. The recommendation that you handle and, if possible, shoot one before purchasing is well worth considering.

For the level of fit and finish, a higher quality Darne, particularly from the pre-WWII period will match (or sometimes better) a similar grade British gun from the same period and generally prove to be more robust, but at a fairly steep discount in price.

Go for it.

I've been messing with shotguns since I was 10 years old in Ireland. My father had a Winchester pump that he had taken from a Black and Tan and there were all kinds of old hammer guns knocking around in people's houses at that time. There were even a few punt gunners still on the Shannon then. So over a life time I've owned or used a few score of 'em. Nearly all sold or traded off. A few I regret. Only two I wouldn't dream of selling. One of them is a Darne. A 16 bore V action that was sold to me in Paris as a P17. In fact it has the exact same engraving and action as a V19 but not the long tang. It also has standard sling swivels, not the kind that retracts into the stock. I think the dealer thought it was a P17 became it has 7 stars across the barrel flats. This gun has all the features I admire about Darne. Light weight, swamped top rib, no bottom rib, incredible action strength.
The craftsmanship is superb. Run your hand over where parts meet and encounter no gaps or I'll matched surfaces. Surprisingly many otherwise well made guns fail this test. Did I mention slick as catshit operation.

No, I drive either a 2015 F150, or, a 1967 Oldsmobile 442. I can't tell you the last time I saw a Citroen, and can't ever remember riding in one.
I like Sam Adams, but, have many neighbors that show up empty handed, and, thirsty. PBR was always a good compromise between neighbor beer (think Red, White and Blue, or Pfieffer) and the good stuff.
I've been drinking PBR since before the tallboy guzzling hipsters in downtown were born. PBR came back, around the time all the brew pubs were getting started in this part of the world.
A Darne isn't strange to a lot of people, since, there are about a million of them out there. I've seen a double barreled pinfire, with a bolt action on either side-that is strange. Or, an O/U that the barrels rotate, to allow one hammer to be used for both barrels.
Off the cuff observation, if a guy can't walk and chew gun at the same time, he won't like a Darne. Ditto the kids who were picked last, or, not at all, for pickup games as kids.

Just what I've seen, man. Have a beer, and deal with it.


Best,
Ted

You have to play with one to see if you like what you hold. The quintessential French upland game gun is Manufrance Ideal. 'Ideal' is very good name and represents one of the best specialty two barrel guns one can buy.

I'm so glad you think so, JM. Here's a pic of mine, a grade 6R EE. And bonny, it has extremely positive ejectors!

Show off. Gil

Dustin,
The factory recommended 1cm longer than usual stock dimensions. A leather slip on pad is your friend with a Darne, especially if winter is coming.

Best,
Ted

I found less adored version in 16ga at local Cabela's. Unfortunately the bores were in "pissed in and not flushed condition", therefore, the gun could not be purchased by me. I recommend these as working man's version of Scottish round-actioned game gun. That how I try to help poor souls that don't have $20,000 to spend on used gun in very good shape at drop of a hat.

PS. If one is shopping for real nice car I recommend Lexus.