doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com The gun you let go, or that slipped away...

A Holland & Holland 4bore sidehammer-underlever single shot.
It would have been an even-up trade for my Coggie 318 magazine rifle.

An absolutely beautiful D-grade Parker 12 gauge hammergun for $400. Stupid, stupid.

Back in September 1984, my Father came to the east coast for a visit and he and I took off in the old Ford pickup for a 10-day tour of the New England states. At the Kittery Trading Post there were two doubles that have foreaver played on my mind -- a .410-bore Model 6 Lefever by Ithaca, and a 20-gauge A-grade Ansley H. Fox with 32-inch barrels. On the way south we stopped at a gunshow in Harrisburg, PA, and I did get a 16-gauge A-Grade Fox with a straight grip and 30-inch barrels though.

2 guns stick out both LC's a straight stock Ideal and a Speciality sold for $5-6 hundred about 1973. But I absentmindedly kept a regular frame Skeet Special. oh well

There have been many. The most recent is a L.C. Smith field grade that I had restored to new. It was part of a consolidation deal (trading a pile of guns for what you hope is a upgrade)I did with Thad Scott. He just posted this gun on his web at about 50% of what the restoration cost me, not to mention the time, money and aggravation to get her done. Oh well, my loss will be somebody's gain.I wish I could afford to keep all of them. But no can do.

The two that come to mind...

about 12 years ago I was into milsurps and there was a small store around here that dealt only in milsurps. While in there one day looking at Swedish Mausers some kid came into wanting to sell a double. The store wasn't interested in it so i took a look. All I remember is that it was German 16, with a horn trigger guard, horn buttlplate, elaborately carved and fully engraved. i din't know about horn buttplates and guards at the time si I wasn't sure what i was looking at. I passed on it for $200.

The other was at the Vintagers about 3-4 years ago. A year before I was at Safari Outfitters and fell inlove with one of the three 16ga Jules Bury sidelocks that G&H had just had finished by Superbritte. The actions were part of a cache of 15 guns (and only 3 were 16ga. I believe), hidden from the Nazis in the late 1930's and recently finished. The gun was complelely and beautifully engraved, fully cased with tools, unfired and offered at $15,000.

I drooled and left it. A year later at the Vintagers another one of the 16's was there, cased and unfired. The owner needed quick cash and was asking $8000. I figured I'd think about it and when I came to my senses and ran back it was gone.

Max, When you restored this gun did you harden the stock head?

I have two that I passed up and have regretted it. A Christopher Funk O/U that I saw a few years ago for about a Grand. I passed in order to buy a JP Sauer. I just sold the Sauer last wekend. The other.... an Ithaca Model 37 12 gauge solid rib that was like new and was the match to my 20 gauge that was made in the 50s. It was in 100% and was selling for $300.00 and I passed on it to buy a Parker with the barrels cut to 18". Another that comes to mind was a Colt Sauer rifle in 100% with a Leupold scope that Jaqua's had a few years ago for $1500.00. I always wanted one but passed on it.

Two years ago at the Vintagers, I saw a lovely little 28 gauge Zanotti hammer gun. It was something I've wanted for a long, long time. I took the guy's card and called him the following week. He'd placed the gun on consignment with a dealer, who had jacked the price another $500. I dithered, finally deciding to bite the bullet, and called to buy the gun. Missed it by a day. Haven't seen another anywhere near as nice since and am still without a 28 gauge hammer gun and likely always will be.

"An official Red Ryder carbine action two-hundred shot range model air rifle with a compass in the stock and this thing that tells time."