doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Help with Japanese SxS - Kasuga?

There are some great Japanese copies of British guns. A friend has a neat Japanese copy of a Westley Richards droplock. Sorry, I don't have pictures.

Do you have any close-ups of the engraving on the sides of the receiver?

In good used condition, it is rare for these guns to bring more than $800 or so. The Westly-Richards droplock versions do go up to $2500-$3500 (I have only seen two and couldn't afford them at the time).

With cut barrels, I would think the gun would go for $300-$500.

The sad thing is that even if you had the barrels redone, the gun wouldn't bring what it cost for the barrel work.

If you were interested in selling, I would be interested as collecting these guns has become an interest of mine.

Did he buy the one from Hill Rod & Gun in Bozeman? They had one a few years ago that I am still kicking myself for not buying. I even saved the photos from it!


I assume this gun was made by Miroku.









Hamada was kinda like the Japanese version of Griffin & Howe. They were a high end sporting goods supplier and they customized guns. I believe they used Miroku doubles for platforms for custom guns. They also did a lot of upgrading. Americans in particular would take Miroku/Browning guns to them for upgrading and engraving. They also sold a lot of high grade English guns. I don't think they've been out of business that long. Last year, I saw their nice up-to-date website. I can't find it now, though.


Here's a custom SLE (w/ Woodward-style arcaded fences) from Hamada. It even came in a nice case w/ label.

Adam, you are right on. Good eye. Thanks for posting the pictures of the Japanese droplock.

Adam,

Great photo's and info. Loved the pictures of the Japanese Westley Richards. The Japanese ARE good at copying with very high standards.

You've got me interested in Hamada. I will have to see if I can track any down.

Thanks,
Patrick

Oganza,

It IS a GREAT shame the barrels were cut. It's a beautiful gun and handles pretty well for being cut - obviously the ballance is off and I tend to swing too fast with it, but it was ok on the skeet range. I bought it because it was so pretty and the price was not too bad.

I appreciate your input on it.

Patrick.

It is possible to rebarrel using barrels from some of the guns made in Spain.
My firing pins are 1 or 1.05 inches center to center. I found 3 separate sets of 12 gauge barrels that I have fitted to each of my guns. The Hadama also has a set of 16 gauge barrels.

The 16 and one set of 12 gauge barrels are slightly undersized accross the breech face. Only one of the barrel sets have a third bite extention, but I don't think that the third bite would be necessary. There are plenty of guns that are shot every day with only the double bite.
Eventually, I will cut into the rib and silver solder a third bite extention in, just for the aesthetics.

I was going to start a thread showing the fitting, but I haven't got around to it yet (I do have the pictures already).
The first took about 4-5 hours with lamp smoke and a set of files. I just wanted to do it the old fashioned way.
The next set took less than 2 hours as I moved to some mechanized tools before I went to the files for final fitting.

Oganza,

Here are some pictures closer up of the gun - sorry to take so long - I forgot.





I was also able to purchae the Hamada that I thought got away - will take delivery of it this weekend - hope to post some pictures of it.

Thanks,
Patrick

ah so, is there a business opportunity here?

like, designed in england, made in turkey and then marketed from japan, perhaps via brownings distribution network?

Several service members stationed in Japan who have posted here in the past (Scott Bunker comes to mind) came across some great bargains in local shops on Japanese made guns because of restrictive civilian ownership laws over there. Sgt. Bunker was subsequently stationed at the AF base here and we became friends. He had traded off most of his Japanese guns to Cabelas and for some GTI Merkels on his way here, but he still had a side safety Greener knockoff that looked pretty good. Don't remember whether it was a boxlock or an FP...Geo