doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Worst American Double Ever Made

That's an easy question. The worst American double ever made is the one I'm trying to buy. Not surprisingly, the best American double ever made is the one I'm trying to sell.

Any further questions?

For down right ugly, it has to go with the New Ithaca Gun, that boxlock with exposed hammers!! Someone should have shot the guy who even thought of that design let alone build it!! Ithaca, after that embarrassment, never recovered!!!!

I've always wondered why Ithaca doesn't appear to have the appreciation of the other old American doubles. Its looks and durability compare favourably, there's lots of myth and loyalty to the old Ithicker but there seems a down-rating---and that could be just me. [/quote]


King I agree with you, it seems that Ithaca does not get the appreciation of the other American Doubles. They sold many guns telling us they had a good product, but they just don't seem to make collectors go crazy like other brands. I guess they are the Rodney Dangerfield of the American Gun Companies

Tim

well, it's not a crescent arms. i've got a 12 that came from my dad in a trade. i ran 75 rds thru the 12 ga today (pasture trap, pulling w/ a lanyard from a permanently set up trap, shooting low gun safety on and not interested in anyone's opinions of that, alternating barrel every 5 shots) and i'd have streaks of 20 or so straight then get to thinking about dinner and miss the next 6-8 before getting back on track. went bang every time and only a spot of smoke in the sky where the target had been when i did my part. crude, yes, but first and foremost a gun's gotta work. everything else is gravy.

he's still got a 16 i've shot on several occasions and, again, it's crude but a nice size and weight and easy to hit with.

roger

I'll agree with the guy that said it was the latter day Stevens doubles, they are absolute complete pieces of sh*t.

On the other hand, I always had a warm spot in my heart for the earlier Stevens guns and wish I had more of them.

An old timer in my town had a 32 inch, 3 inch chambers, single trigger, ejector Stevens 311 that had killed thousands of geese and ducks. He died when I was in my early 20's and I tried to track that gun down but never had any luck. His niece sold everything out to some guy from up north.


Destry

Now wait a minute, binko. You've had a 70 year old gun for 50 years and it is still tight and in service and you are calling it the worst double ever made? Wow!! I would hate to see the best gun ever made, right?

You need to hunt alone with these brand x guns - you and the dog!
Altho', they are part of our everydayman's past, today's sportsman needs to uncase something that dazzels the eyeballs at the lodge.
Cigars lit, cognac poured and sitting around the fireplace, these guns put a damper on the nite.
They'd think you just sold a plow or something for a days sport.

I vote for the last models of the "Fox" BSE. They took a clunky but reliable design that worked OK. Added a bunch of stuff that no one really needs (non-selective single trigger, often non-functioning ejectors, usually ill-fitted ventilated rib). Finished it with stamped "checkering" that looks lousy and doesn't do what checkering is supposed to do, and "bowling ball" finish on an over-wooded stock with bulbous forend, and kindergarten-style roll "engraving". Did I forget the plastic white-lined buttplate and pistol grip cap? The 30" 12 guage is just a monster to carry and swing. The 26" .410 is just a monster (and you can get one for about $1000 on any auction site....). Extra ugly points if you get one of the ones with a "silver" reciever.

Take an early Model B and put it next to a late BSE and you will see much of what is wrong with our "consumer society" (Putting a BSE next to a real Fox will simply break your heart....DON'T do it.). Bill Ruger, for example, had his own visions--he often DIDN'T "listen to the consumer." That's why we often talk about the #1 and the GL (even those of us that hate them)--this may be the last discussion EVER of the "Fox" BSE.

I would take the worst Win Model 24 in the world over any BSE; the 24 is at least "interesting" and an honest effort to use new technology to make a cheap, usable gun! ("Let's see, we got this auto components factory and we're really a gunmaker...does "form REALLY follow function?"). Mention the 24 and you get a ****storm of opinions. Mention a BSE and you get ZZZZZZZZZZ.

Just MY (not-particularly-humble) opinion.

i've never looked critically at the design of the 2 guns so the comparison is seat of the pants but after my dad got a model 37 410 it just struck me that the model 24 was nothing but a double-wide model 37. the 37 is not some paragon of gun design. i haven't figured out how the 37 can be revered as it seems to be by so many (judging by the prices) and the 24 so despised. i've long suspected it was because the 24 was held up to the 21 whereas the 37 couldn't be compared to a superior winchester single shot because there wasn't one.

ugly in a gun doesn't bother me if it works like it's supposed to. have not owned a 24 but the ones i've handled seemed to have very useable dimensions and good balance. the extractors seem awfully dinky and is the thing i dislike most but apparently they did in fact work and should be the equal of most any break open single shot in that regard.

roger

Hi all, my vote, goes to a Springfield/Stevens Model 511. I had one, I bought in in 1979. My first SxS. This thing had close to a square FE that could only be removed by taking out a screw that held it. It also had a version of a swamp rib. Just a piece of angeled metal, The triggers were god terrible and the stock had zero figure to it with a cheap varnish that chipped off. And heavy too. Sad thing was, I shot a lot of birds with it, it truly is a strange world.

Mike Armstrong is also right, after the affair with the 511, I got a BS-E, can't add any more to what he said.

Great post and a fun one!!

All the best!!

Greg