doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Hello from Louisiana

I think all the deal are in the lesser known English or European doubles.

"I can't find this gunmaker's name anywhere."
"That's because he didn't build guns he sold dry goods."
"What's this ABS stamp on the action flats mean?"
"It means buy it."

I think all the deal are in the lesser known English or European doubles.

"I can't find this gunmaker's name anywhere."
"That's because he didn't build guns he sold dry goods."
"What's this ABS stamp on the action flats mean?"
"It means buy it."

Back in the late 1970's I guess it was I came across a good buy on a Birmingham proofed J P Clabrough & Bros 28" 12 gauge Damascus. Not a super light weight 2 6 lbs 14 oz's but light enough to carry well & had near perfect balance "For Me", 1/4 choke in each barrel with good stock fit & just the right amount of cast off. While I never kept records I can truthfully say that while using that gun I had a higher kill to shots fired ratio than any other gun I have used before or since. I don't recall the exact load used but loaded 1 oz of either #6 or #8 shot @ around 1125-1150 fps depending on use. Powder was the then new on the market DuPont HyScore (pre 700X). I shot predominately quail, rabbit & an occasional woodcock.



Woodcock were not predominant in the area I mostly hunted but were an occasional bonus while either quail or rabbit hunting.
I recall the first season I used this gun I shot around a dozen to maybe 15 woodcock, but the amazing thing was however many it was that was how many shells I expended, didn't miss a single one that year with this Clabrough. I shot it heavily about three seasons & then foolishly sold it. After long years of regret it later cams back home to roost but by then I was not out & about hunting so much as previously so has not been put to much more use.

A good shooting gun is not necessarily dependent on being a "Best" by any means. This Clabrough was likely built in the late 1890's, is well built, but certainly not a "Best". It is a back action sidelock extractor gun with side plates which resemble a bar action. In an 1895/96 Clabrough Golcher & Co of San Francisco, Cal this gun sold new for US $50.00. This compares to, from the same catalog, a Parker PH @ $52.00, Lefever G @ $45.00, Rem A @ $45.00, Ithaca #2 @ $48.00, Baker B @ $50.00 or L C Smith #1 @ $45.00, all extractor guns.

My old Clabrough has no built in wear compensation at all to the locking bolts or hinge joint but some 120 years later is still tight & on face. makes one wonder about the value of compensation. The one thing you don't want to do though, unlike a Lefever, is take it apart with the hammers down. it's a bugger getting it recocked to put back together.

Names don't matter to me as much as craftsmanship.

I wasn't talking about you specifically Chris but you missed the point I was trying to make. In that post I'm not talking about names or craftsmanship. For example, Alfred Hollis, try running some information on that English name you probably won't find anything at all. However, his name appears on the barrel but someone else actually built that gun. A double gun that was pretty famous for its heavy use in Africa.

That is an example of what a buyer of English guns can run into when looking. People will rely on their own investigative skills trying to run down a name appearing on the barrel and may discount it if you cannot find any information.

Good luck and I hope you find what you're looking for.

Keep your hand on your wallet CC, lotta old men here who�d love to sell you a few SxSs.