doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Win 23 or Browning BSS?

Browning is smart enough to know that tool-up and production costs would not be cost effective to sell a few dozen BSS's in all the various and multiple configurations Larry mentions. Everybody that wants one should be required to do a business plan on producing one, then do a market study on how many people would actually buy one.
JR

so here's what I mean about the screws

kinda hard to see here but the lock screw has a lock screw - most seem to have only the lock screw



most seem to have only one of these two



And here's the other kind





TIA

have a day

Dr.WtS

John, I don't know how many BSS Browning sold last time around. If memory serves, I believe Ithaca sold something on the order of 60,000 SKB side by sides over the approximately 10 years those two firms worked together. That's decent volume, and I don't think the sxs market is any smaller now than it was in the 60's and 70's. Tony Galazan doesn't seem to have any trouble selling RBL's for prices that probably average about that of an AyA 4/53, if you don't add too many options. If Miroku could make the BSS and sell it at a profit for somewhere in the $3K neighborhood, I don't think the options I mentioned are unreasonable. ST/DT is pretty easy, as are straight vs PG stock. And of course the good old USA is not the only potential market. Miroku has always done pretty well in Europe too. The difference between the previous BSS era and now is that Spanish boxlocks are significantly more expensive. An Uggie Grade III from Lion Country--basic boxlock with ejectors--runs $24-2700, depending on gauge. And the AyA's are another $1K, and both are likely to see increases fairly soon. Might be the right time for a new sxs from Japan. A lot of American sxs fans already know how good the old ones were. Unlike the Turks, they wouldn't have to convince us that they can build good guns.

I'm surprised to see this much support of the BSS. I always thought it was a great gun since I bought my first one back in the 80's.

BTW, my 12ga has Briley chokes and I would not discount a gun for having them. In fact, on a modern gun like the BSS, I appreciate them.

Chuck, you have been inside the BSS. Any insights on the two-vs-one screw question?

Where did you get those numbers on Ithaca/SKB production, Larry?

I doubt CSMC has sold 1000 RBL's.
JR

There was a Grade II sidelock from Browning. It offered game-scene engraving and upgraded wood with drop point.

Check it out.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=330521658

http://www.gunsamerica.com/972439754/Gun...de_II_Rare.htm#

I have shot one, and handled another with snap caps, both double triggers, and I didn't think they were too bad. One was quite a bit stiffer than the other as best I could tell, but they weren't at the same time and I didn't have a gage.

I don't think that's a Grade II Sidelock, Adam. I'd guess a custom restock. Gerry's may be, although I've never heard the game scene sidelocks referred to as Grade II's.

John, I collected a bunch of information on Ithaca SKB's for a couple articles I did for Shooting Sportsman 10 years ago. Spoke to an Ithaca salesman who sold 900 of them (both OU and sxs), just in MO and KS, in a single year. The 60,000 figure came from a couple different sources. But given 900 in 2 states in a single year, I see no reason to question it. And they're certainly not rare guns on the used market. How often do they show up compared to NID's--and 45,000 of the latter were made? The SKB sxs sold well enough that Ithaca continued to expand its offerings as time went on. They first appeared in the Ithaca catalog in 1967, but the 280 was not added to the line until 71.

Counting all gauges, I'm quite sure Galazan is well over 1,000 RBL's.

I believe Adam is correct.
Grade II engraving and fancy wood.
They made a few.