doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Talk about a nice, reasonably priced 12 ga sxs...

If it had 1/2" less drop it would be mine. To me everything else is perfect.
terc

That's a real weird looking Francotte. The checkering on the stock is very odd, the sculpting on the fences and the action is different, and that flare on the side of the bbls is strange.

I think it's original, just odd.

Here's what 18s typically looks like:

http://www.gunsinternational.com/guns-fo...un_id=100534508

OWD

It's a Southern thing, Ted. You wouldn't understand.
JR

I cannot understand the bias against 26" barrels unless it means fewer shooters are hunting these days. We find the shorter barrels to be perfect for upland hunting, especially when quick, instinctive shots are demanded. On skeet I really like the short barrels but I shoot from a low gun mount and do not use mechanical leads, just swing through and let her rip. Absolutely perfect for the job!

I think it boils down to personal choice Joe. I'm 6'2" and use a relatively long LOP. Short barrels look funny to my eye with a long stock. All my guns are 29-30" but I have owned a few 28" guns over the years and would again. I just keep looking when I see them shorter than 28" but then again I do not care for really light guns either. For me, 6.5lbs and long barrels, different strokes for different folks. Best regards,
Steve

If I didn't just make another SXS purchase recently, I'd be gearing up to take a swing at this one. If it were mine, it would be the first shotgun I've owned that I would plan to have a leather covered recoil pad installed on. I'm ok with 26" bbls. That one looks well proportioned to me, and I wonder though if they aren't a wee bit longer than 26". Would like to see more pics of the inside/underside of bbls and action. 2.5" DAH is my limit. WOnder if it has any cast?

Regarding this model looking different than other grade 18s; weren't Francottes custom built to the buyers specification of available options? It's also an Abercrombie & Fitch, which might account for the variables. My Belgian Superposed is an Abercrombie & Fitch version which came with a hand rubbed oil finish not used that year on the standard Browning models.

I'll add my voice in chorus to that.

Joe you hit it on the head. The number of hunters, non deer or turkey is way down. Quail numbers in many areas are too low to hunt. Bird numbers don't warrent keeping dogs. No dogs no incentive to hunt. I rather watch a young dog learn or an old dog work like an expert than limit out any day. So short barreled bird guns are in very low demand. Like I posted earlier my main dealer will not trade for any because he knows they may sit on his rack for a very long time.

+1. I like shorter bbls for most of my upland shooting. I guess I'm more of a "snap shooter" than the sustained lead kind of guy. Here's just one example of what short bbls can do. This is my EJ Churchill Premire with 25" bbls:



While quite a few of my guns are 28", I tend to shoot my short bbl guns more often and better when shooting over my GSP.

BTW, that is a nice looking gun!!!

Best!

Greg

I like light high grade bird guns in shooter condition. That one sure fits the bill.

While I take the 26" barrels into consideration for market value I am perfectly happy taking one out bird hunting.

Plenty of LOP for me. I am six foot and a 190 pounds of rippling muscle.

That is a very nice gun. Thanks for bringing it up John.