doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com English guns with pistol grips and beavertails.

I am well aware that most admirer's of English side by side shotguns prefer a straight grip and splinter forearm; however, there are some guns out there with pistol grips, pow grips and beavertails (many of which were made for the American mkt). Knowing that straight grips are preferred, should there be any devaluation to these guns which have been 'Americanized'? I believe it is likely cost prohibitive to have them converted and if one was trying to sell one of these guns I think it might be pretty tough as I would suspect the market target audience would be very small. For me to buy one with a beavertail forearm and a pistol grip stock I would have to be offered a significant discount, say 20-30% as compared to a similar gun with a traditional straight stock and splinter forearm. Any thoughts? Agree or disagree?

I don't know about beavertails on guns, especially English. Not my style, but I have quite a few with pistol grips or similar. These include Greener Monarch Imperial, Walter Betts pigeon , Cashmore Nitro, Cashmore Imperial sidelock [proofed for 1 1/4 oz.] and probably a few others. To change these would diminish them. They were ordered for a purpose.

buzz, for what it's worth, I agree with you completely except that I would want a much, much greater discount than 20-30% for the ST PG beavertail forend. A few years ago I was offered a relatively new, well-maintained H&H with the above configuration by the widow of the guy who had it made to his specs. She couldn't understand why it was hard to sell since her husband, an avid shooter, had it specially made. But the damned thing was pit-ugly and H&H explained to me, when I telephoned them about converting ST to DT, that it was simply not economical to try to do that - they clearly didn't even want to deal with the wood.

I may be all wet about this but if you want an "Americanized" gun, why pay the London premium? I'm sure others with more experience will opine, but personally I wouldn't touch a modern London gun that has been Americanized with a barge pole. An older classic might be different, but I've no experience with that market.

That little voice inside you that calls, "Caution!" speaks the truth!

I wouldn't want either of those features on a Brit game gun but on a waterfowler or pigeon gun, Brit or otherwise, they do have utility. I think this is yet another double gun topic that evades generalizations.

I have a 1929 Purdey that was made for sale here in the U.S. and sent to Abercrombie and Fitch.It originally was fitted with a pistol grip and tight chokes.
Years later it was returned back to Purdey and a spectacular straight grip made for the gun.
I shoot with a friend who reguarly shoots a Woodward Pigeon gun with a pistol grip and beavertail. As well he has a very nice Boss similar.
Also another friend who shoots a Purdey bar action hammer gun with a beautiful Prince of Wales flat grip.

I can understand why someone would want a straight grip on a double trigger gun as I prefer this myself. I can also understand the aesthetic reserve in regard to a full beavertail on a 12 ga.
However; To me a semi-beavertail forend makes sense on anything smaller than a 20ga from a practical point of being able to grasp the gun with your off hand.
I have an AyA two barrel set in 20 and 28 Ga, both set of which are fitted with semi-beavertail forends, and I can't imagine trying to shoot this gun with splinter forends.
Jim

Mike, There is no question that a Purdey with beaver tail and pistol grip can be converted....the problem is the cost. Paul Hodgins , who is rather expensive, told me it would cost around $15,000 to do such conversion if a new stock had to be made. He said he could possibly cut a pistol grip off an orig pg stock but it would require recheckering because the checker pattern is different, and might render the grip diameter too small to be sound. So a new stock might have to be made, plus new or altered trigger guard. In terms of forearm he said the metal is not the same for beaver tail as splinter and this would have to be changed plus there is a gap between the barrel and beaver tail not present on a splinter, so a new forearm would likely have to be made rather than just turning the bt into a splinter. Sounds pretty darn expensive to me even for a Boss or Purdey or H&H!! Cost prohibitive IMHO.

It depends on the buyer. Today, there is a demand for sxs guns for Sporting Clays and the side events for these at registered shoots. The key factor is barrel length. If they are 30" or 32", these guns will sell at a good price.

The problem is that many British guns made for the American market with single triggers, pistol grips, and big beavertail forends were built in the '60's with 26" and sometimes the odd 28" barrels, but hardly ever 30's or 32's. Those short barreled guns are real dogs to try and sell for what the equivalent traditional game gun would bring.

But I would just love me a Purdey with a nice capped pg, st, and semi-bt with 32" barrels set up for clays, at a 50% discount!
JR

Good points, JR. BTFE/PG on a 30 or 32" gun is a very different proposition than on a 26 or 28" gun.

I had a Parker DHE SG DT vent rib with 32" barrels and BT forend. Great gun.