doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Now I understand the fuss about Doubleguns

So what has happened to the NID?

It is still in Purgatory.
I was told Tuesday that it would be logged in the computer and ready for transfer on Thursday.

A thinly veiled subterfuge. They only want to get me back in the store so they can beat me into buying another gun off the rack.

Clearly, we need much stricter supervision of these shady gun store practices.

Please do not stand a gun up by putting a leaver in the bow of the trigger guard. This method of standing a gun up seems to be common on your side of the pond but the outcome of doing it is to push the guard off the centre line one way and move the trigger off centre in the other direction not to mention a dent in the wood.
One day it may be a heavy gun thin metal trigger guard producing an expensive repair rather than a picture to remember, and please do not do this with a lightly built Brit gun because the outcome could be extremely expensive to put right when the guard snaps off with the strain.

Be rest assured that our American guns are not only built to take a fence post in the trigger guard but also the heavy loads we pound through them.

"guard Snaps off with the Strain"...wow....

I knew British guns were dainty and look weak, but I didn't realize they were so very structurally weak & dainty as well....learn something new every day.

Stout built American guns can easily withstand a wood dowel supporting the gun for a picture shoot and yes, it is very common on this side of the pond with zero negative effects, unless Bubba or Wilbur lean on it.

Hey compadre- sounds to me like this Limey Fop needs a brush-up in shotgun history- When John M. Olin proof tested his M21 with 1000 blue pills per each tube, detailed stripped it and miked it out for wear, and found none- and the vaulted over-priced and over-there mfg. Purdey blew to flinders after only 60 of those proof loads- that should have proven the point- Limey doubles are built for the uber-rich royals and effetes, who have their servants both carry and clean them, and send them back to the makers each year for a "over-haul"-- You can pound 16d nails into Pine all day long with the forged 4130 steel trigger guard bow of either a M21, M12 or M70 made before 1964, and all you will do is mar the blueing- Damascus needs to re-read his Countryman- Gough Thomas and that Limey gun writers review of the ubiquitous American repeater- "ergonomic" comes to mind- Hail Britainia, my big left one!! Erin Go Braugh!!!!

Here's five more stars for ya Foxy---->*****

Fox, it's Christmas for goodness sakes. Go easy on our friends across the pond.

And before we know it,it will be Boxing Day over there across the pond.

Hey, I respect the "hallowed traditions" from our Limey pals- my favorite gun writer, other than Nash Buckingham, Captain Paul A. Curtis, was a huge booster for their fine double guns, but those old monied types here in "The Colonies" were the only ones who could afford them in the "Roaring 20's"--the Depression killed that, as well as sounding the death knell for Parker, AH Fox, LC Smith-

I have to admire John M. Olin, who kept the great M21 alive when his Western Cartridge Company bought the almost bankrupt WRA.

American shotguns have, for the most part, been made to take heavier loads than the Limeys use for their driven bird shooting--Different Countries, different cultures.

In Europe and in England, hunting (game birds awing) has always been restricted to the upper crust- ditto Salmon fishing on a beat in Scotland, or stag hunting there as well.

The average Tom Crachit working at Purdeys in the 1920's (assuming he wasn't crippled too severely in the "Great War" to resume his apprenticeship, never owned a Purdey, much less ever shot one at feather game awing--Like the American genius Henry Ford, Winchester made shotguns and rifles for the "common man" that Abe Lincoln spoke of so fondly- and so that a lathe hand in New Haven could afford a Winchester shotgun to hunt with--no "By your leave, M'Lord needed--

Good Lord ... it could be the makin's of another war!

Nice looking Batavia Leader. I am jealous of the gun and what appear to be Nitro Proof barrels. Back in the early 1980's I acquired a Baker Batavia Leader 12 gauge with twisted steel barrels. I really wanted to shoot it and take it hunting. Everyone warned me about the dangers of the Damascus barrels and I did read my NRA gun safety pamphlet. Not one to always obey the rules I made a call down to Shawnee Mission to Hodgdon Powder Company and talked to old Bruce about making up a pyrodex load. Well, Bruce was not exactly excited to pass along that information for legal reasons. I assured him with or without his help I was going to make up a few rounds and his input would be helpful in keeping the Baker and me in one piece. He finally gave in and I got a couple of dozens of rounds ready for the opening weekend of duck hunting season.

As one of the town barbers I had many people come through the shop that were hunters and/or fishermen and to many it was more of a profession being the town that Herter's was located in. I guess I have always had a soft spot in my heart for people older than me and those that were in genuine need. I had this one customer that was getting on in years and was not in the best of health, but, always talked duck hunting when he came in.

After a rather successful opening day and knowing my spot was a rather good flyway between a couple of lakes the ducks frequented and after the opening barrage this little pothole provided many opportunities all day long.

Next morning before sunrise my guest arrived at my home and we loaded the pick-up with our gear and my English Springer Spaniel named Misty. The little pond was only a five minute drive from town and as we drove down old Highway #60 it was obvious it was going to be the same kind of morning that I picked out that dog on fourteen years earlier. We were at the slough well before shooting hours and I did not bring any decoys, just the guns, ammo, a thermos of coffee, a couple of sandwiches, my guest and a dog. The ducks were flying as I expected and the first couple I dropped with my Ruger Red Label 20 gauge nearby and went to pick them up. I was on my way back with the ducks, when a single drake Mallard came sailing in about 75 yards away from me, but, right over my companion. He scrambled picking up the Baker as fast as an 87 year old man could and swung through the drake and pulled the right trigger. The duck was dead in the air and landed in the pond. WOW! What a shot! Mr. Staley was all smile! By this time my old dog was heading towards the water. She didn't see very well anymore, so whenever I took her out where there might a water retrieve I always had a pocket of stones that I could toss and her ears would find the way until the nose picked up the scent. Misty loved to swim, and she did make the retrieve with the help of a couple stones and when she came back to dry land I realised that this was going to be her last time in the water to gather up any waterfowl. It turns out that my hunting companion that day was also a Masonic Lodge Brother that had not been hunting for roughly 20 years because his knees were so bad. That morning was his last hunt and we three had a grand time.

To this day, I cannot look at a Batavia Leader without thinking of Mr. Staley and that old dog. She lived two more years and showed up a field trial champion on her last outing. Mr. Staley came in a few more times, but, by the time hunting season came around again he too, was gone. I am really glad he had a chance to see Misty at work that morning and get to know her, I am comforted knowing he is probably looking after her for me until we meet up again.