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Joined: Nov 2005
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kdross Offline OP
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I have found a London Best SxS 12 gauge that I am interested in purchasing. My main concern with the gun is that it has dovetail barrels. The gun was rebarreled by the maker about 30 years ago. For whatever reason dovetail barrels were installed. Would anyone here purchase a London Best which had dovetail barrels?

The gun is priced full retail, so there is no discount as to the dovetail barrels. How much of a discount should be allocated for the barrels?

Thanks.
Ken


Last edited by kdross; 01/08/08 05:28 PM.
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Ken,

First thing to get absolutely clear on is whether the dovetail barrels were, in fact, done by the maker. Seems odd that a best maker would use dovetail rather than chopperlump.

You'd need more authority than I've got to advise on the intrinsic value range. But I'd hazard a guess that you should get a reduced price for dovetail barrels on a best gun.

Regards, Tim

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kdross Offline OP
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I have confirmed with the maker that they rebarreled the gun with dovetail barrels. From what I have been told by the manufacture, when the gun was rebarreled the owner was given a choice, chopper-lump or dovetail, depending on how much money they wanted to spend for the rebarrel.

I agree a discount should be applied. However, how much of a discount is appropriate?

Ken

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I would suggest the gun is no longer a "London Best" without proper barrels regardless of who made/installed them. The discount should be very significant.

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I hope j0e doesn't see the above reply!
...or the next.

Last edited by Lowell Glenthorne; 01/08/08 06:41 PM.
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I will agree with buddypol. The name may be a London Best but the gun is sort of akin to a cross breed dog. That dog may be a great pal and possibly a superb pointer, flusher or retriever, but it is still a mongrel. Neither the gun nor the dog will be easy to pass on to a purist, if necessary.
Best,
John


Humble member of the League of Extraodinary Gentlemen (LEG). Joined 14 March, 2006. Member #1.
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Seriously, the only London Best gun I would buy is all original pre-1914 gun with OUTSIDE hammers. The ones made between 1870 and 1900 are the finest shotguns english ever made, or will ever make.

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The hammerless sidelock ejector became the gun c1900 to WWI - the golden age.

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kdross Offline OP
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I saw that gun this past weekend in Connecticut. I was disappointed when I saw the gun. The gun looks great in the pictures. However, in person the gun is not nearly as nice. The stock has lots of marks and the coloring looks really odd. Again, the gun looks great in the pictures. There is no way this gun is worth $65K. I would say the value is not worth more than $40K. And personally I could not stand coloring of the stock. It really was an odd color.

Ken

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