doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Price Check on a Miroku Chas Daly 28 Gauge

I was at a gun show in southeastern PA yesterday and saw two attractive Chas Daly 28 gauge shotguns. Both were 28 gauge with 28 inch barrels. The first, priced at $2495, was a baby frame. The second, priced at $1495 was a standard (20 gauge?) frame.

I liked both guns, but especially liked the baby frame. The engraving on it was quite good - far better than the Miroku guns I'm familiar with (Citoris, mostly). The engraving on the standard frame was almost as good. Wood on both was o.k., but not spectacular.

I am reluctant to tie up that much money in a gun with what is (apologies to John Mann and other Prussian Daly fans), at least today, distinctly 3rd tier. Are the early Miroku Dalys really going for that much, or was this simply a case of the seller hoping to get lucky at Christmas time?

Thanks.

Are these SxS or O/U format? What is the engraving, modest game scene or tight scroll? Is it a sideplate or sidelock by any chance?

I'm assuming that this is an O/U. The small frame Miroku Daly 28's are very desireable and the seller seems to know that (shocking, isn't it?). Compared to the other small frame 28 O/U's on the market these days, it is a nicer gun than the Ruger Red Label, but not as trim or pleasant to carry, as I recall. The Daly is not as nice as the small frame Rizzini 28, and is probably on a par with the current Beretta small frame 28. It is far, far better than a third tier gun. The Miroku and Daly engraving of that period was better than the Citoris that followed. The vent rib on the small frame Dalys was pretty fragile, so eyeball it carefully to be sure is hasn't been bumped. There are very few of the small frame Daly 28's around, and even fewer with the 28" barrels. If it's what you want, you might go quite a while before you see another nice one. $2500 is probably an OK price, but higher than I would pay. For hunting, I'd get another Ruger.

Jerry, O/U's I bet - don't recall ever seeing a 28 g Miroku SxS.

Remmy40x, I bet the 28" baby frame was pretty sweet. There's definitely a premium being placed on the small gauge, and I think it'd be hard to find another guy who's GOT to have a 28 ga Daly/Miroku willing to pay that premium.

These are great guns - when they're priced less than a NIB B-gun. For 1500ish you can get the Citori 28 ga on a 20 frame - or for 2500ish, the Beretta scaled frame 28.

I really like my mid 60s Miroku 28" 20 ga, but it was about 1/2 of what a new Citori cost.

Was the engraving like this?

Remington: I don't think any apologies are called for. The Daly's of today, and even the 60's are distinctly different than those that John Mann has been involved with. These are just user guns, and nice ones at that. I think you might find a 28 on a 20 frame for alot less money than that but the baby frames are a rare bird. I'm not sure it's worth that premium myself. The engraving is pretty nice on the 60s Mirokus and I think they are a well-made gun. At tad better than the Citoris in that they have a flat main spring and the Citoris all had coil springs.

Remington: I don't think any apologies are called for. The Daly's of today, and even the 60's are distinctly different than those that John Mann has been involved with. These are just user guns, and nice ones at that. I think you might find a 28 on a 20 frame for alot less money than that but the baby frames are a rare bird. I'm not sure it's worth that premium myself. The engraving is pretty nice on the 60s Mirokus and I think they are a well-made gun. At tad better than the Citoris in that they have a flat main spring and the Citoris all had coil springs.

Remington: I don't think any apologies are called for. The Daly's of today, and even the 60's are distinctly different than those that John Mann has been involved with. These are just user guns, and nice ones at that. I think you might find a 28 on a 20 frame for alot less money than that but the baby frames are a rare bird. I'm not sure it's worth that premium myself. The engraving is pretty nice on the 60s Mirokus and I think they are a well-made gun. At tad better than the Citoris in that they have a flat main spring and the Citoris all had coil springs.

Remington: I don't think any apologies are called for. The Daly's of today, and even the 60's are distinctly different than those that John Mann has been involved with. These are just user guns, and nice ones at that. I think you might find a 28 on a 20 frame for alot less money than that but the baby frames are a rare bird. I'm not sure it's worth that premium myself. The engraving is pretty nice on the 60s Mirokus and I think they are a well-made gun. At tad better than the Citoris in that they have a flat main spring and the Citoris all had coil springs.

Remington: I don't think any apologies are called for. The Daly's of today, and even the 60's are distinctly different than those that John Mann has been involved with. These are just user guns, and nice ones at that. I think you might find a 28 on a 20 frame for alot less money than that but the baby frames are a rare bird. I'm not sure it's worth that premium myself. The engraving is pretty nice on the 60s Mirokus and I think they are a well-made gun. At tad better than the Citoris in that they have a flat main spring and the Citoris all had coil springs.

Yeti, nor have I but there is always the possibility of something unusual occurring. The 28ga O/Us are a great gun value. Used a couple Miroku's for skeet competition in 1960s when they were available to me in Japan for $127 each. There are some higher grade stunning Miroku SxS sidelocks seldom seen in USA which might be available in 28ga SxS configurations.
Hollowell & Co has one on their website in 12ga under the European gun category. I would love to find a small gauge in that model.

Gil, are you alright man? That is a bad stutter you have this morning.