doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Board has been depressing lately.

Here you go Skip! This was a quail hunt in April, 08, in Tylertown, MS, with Zack Rushing, who is a fine gentleman and generous host. Check his site out at, http://www.deepsouthquailhunts.com/ , his prices can't be beat and he offers 15 birds per hunter for $100.00 Mon - Wed, half day hunts.

On this hunt 3 of us bagged 33 quail, and my old Grade 2, 1892 Parker brought down 12 of them...still a "long killer".

[img]http://www.jpgbox.com/page/577[/img]

binko

Most all my internet deals have gone reasonably well both private party and dealer. I have had a couple from Paul Roberts where the descriptions were understated. Several years ago I was looking for a particular blackpowder gun and I recieved a call from Lewis Drake informing me he had one. The gun had been restocked and the barrels needed to be reblacked and had some exterior pitting. The asking price was low particularly for Lewis and I told him I had some interest but was really looking for something a little nicer. Lewis told me it would be an outstanding hunting gun and overnighted it to me prior to recieving a check. When that gun showed up I was just sure there was something wrong with it but I could find nothing except as stated above. The gun turned out to be a real shooter and is now one of my most favored use guns.

Anyone who hasn't made a trip to Duluth MN and kicked back at Puglisi's Gun Emporium hasn't lived the full fine-gun experience. You can shoot your wallhangers and hang out at the Vintage Cup, but Pug's gunshop is the closest you'll come to experiencing the ambiance of a Victorian Bond Street gun seller in London. And now there are luxury apartments topside for visiting dignitaries, lords of the manor, and other royalty. I was there in June as he was completing his expansion from the pre-existing quarters in the old bank into the adjoining building, and it would have taken a week just to fondle the fine old guns of all makers...yet I have never spent a dime...still, I have been responsible for some guns finding new owners.

My thesis on gun buying was well stated in my Parker Guns: The "Old Reliable" (1997, 2004), and in several magazine articles, which paraphrased has always been: Top-of-the-line dealers like HC, TG, JP, IB, LD, SB, SC, and, until he retired, Don Crisswell, have justly deserved reputations to protect; plus they tend to get their hands on the guns that collectors ought to want and need. Bottom feeders who hope to buy a rare collectible under the market are almost always at risk. According to John Ruskin (1819-1900), an oft quoted 19th century economist:

"It is unwise to pay too much, but it's unwise to pay too little. When you pay too much you lose a little money, that's all. When you pay too little you sometimes lose everything.... If you deal with the lowest bidder, it's wise to add something for the risk you run and if you do that, you will have enough to pay for something better."

It has been my experience that the well-known dealers often have higher prices on guns that occasionally are similiarly described by the bottom dwellers (on Internet sites or at gun shows), but when the close comparasons are made, I'll go with the likes of HC, TG, JP and the other "top guns" every time. Don Criswell once insisted on sending me a Parker AAH on approval, because he thought it would strike my responsive chord (no money changed hands befdore he sent it). I received the gun and upon examination could not bear to send it back. Then I paid the price, no quibble, and the AAH once owned by Parker's senior salesman S. A. Tucker, which he used at the GAH at live birds, and exhibited at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair appears on the cover of my new book, Parker Guns: Shooting Flying and the American Experience (Collector Books of Paducah KY) scheduled for shipping from the printer tomorrow. I have never had a negative experience with the named dealers (if you know their initials), and I have never had a negative experience with a lesser-known gunshow dealer, as I bought "guns in hand." And I would never buy a gun from an unknown Internet dealer/seller, especially on the ambiguous terms often stated. Caveat Emptor! EDM

It's a nice BANKhoff with refreshing frescoes adoring ceiling und walls.

I only bought two shotguns through the internet. One was from Simpson LTD out of Ill.,a 12 ga Field Grade Longrange Wildfowl 32" barrels full/full Hunter One-Trigger, ejectors and thank goodness no recoil pad. Length of pull 14 1/8" . I asked all the questions, any cracks behind the sideplates, condition of barrels , and dents, bulges, how they rang, etc., asked condition of wood any major dents etc. Went through their email service and called a few times. Always talked to the same guy and he would always get the gun and go over it with me. Asked if that was the best they could do and they knocked some off the price. Good communication, great description and excellent shipping.
Second experience was just this past Monday when gun arrived. Circa 1887 L.C. Smith Syracuse 10 ga. Quality 2 30" Good (name of type) Damascus barrels. The dealer goes by Dust to Dollars listed on Guns America, out near Salem Oregon. Name is Mark, family run business. Emails were always answered, talked a few times on the phone. His pictures were great, his description was good. Asked same questions as you should always ask about any gun especially a 121 year old one. Bores were shiney, no dents, wood in good shape. Plus he had a 90 day lay away plan, perfect for me. Also came down on price.
Like I said gun arrived Monday by UPS, by the way ecellent with the tracking numbers, box didn't have a blemish on it.
Gun was better than he said, wood is great, 22 lpi, 14 1/8" lop and 3" drop, with original butt plate with L.C. Smith Maker (dog watching falling duck) and then Trap Gun. Faint case colors, screws are all clocked and I believe never turned by anyone. Chokes measure .758 and .759. Color of barrels look like the brown rust as I don't believe that they blued barrels. Pattern of Damscus is Good, Dr. Drew or Pete can verify type other than what L.C. Smith called it.
Shipped gun in brand new Plano plastic case, gun broken down and barrels wrapped in bubble wrap and charged me $40.00 shipping.
In my opinion can't say enough good things about him.
The gentleman that owned it had it on consignment and I was told he was up there in age, I believe it might have been his father's also, He knew how to take care of it.

Some pictures

Most of the internet guns I have bought, were from private individuals and they all were good, fair deals. From dealers, my limited experince with Jaqua's, Cobwebs, and someone else in England I cannot remember were also very fair and good purchases.

While Jaqua's is well known Cobwebs is not. Yet, he has some very nice firearms generally and I bought a Lang double rifle from him, which was a lot of money to me, and I am very happy with the way that went, and would buy another rifle from him in a heartbeat. I believe he sells on gunsinternational.com now.

Brent

None of my Smiths that are over 100 years old have cracks either. I wonder what's up with that?

I'd hardly mention Chadick in the same breath as Puglisi. If you do a search of this BB you'll find plenty of guys who have been displeased with Hershel. I don't think I've ever read a bad comment about Puglisi. And I'm not afraid to use real names, though the coy use of initials certainly is quite, well, coy.

8 bore,

I don't know, maybe the original guy that selected the wood on the old ones died and the new guy wasn't as experienced. How about the newer ones, do they have this same problem, and is there a break point in model years, that the cracking ceased or got better? Another scenario would be newer method someone there developed in drying the wood, newer kiln that didn't do as good a job, etc.

What do you think? Maybe someone out there knows?

binko

At his prices he can afford "frescoes" on the ceilings...he should serve wine and cheese....(get you drunk so you don't mind getting jacked-up).