doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Tobin Regal Grade

OK, what is the verdict per Dave Noreen?

I agree wholeheartedly with Elwell's assessment of the Lefever.
I have never had even a slight desire to own a Tobin, not even one dolled up like this one. As the old saying goes you Can't Make a Silk Purse out of a Sow's Ear. As far as I am concerned underneath all that chiseling there still lies a Sow's Ear.

I don't know that I would call a Tobin a sow's ear. But, in my experience it is a design with a few limitations, none of which existed when it came on the scene.

Much metal is removed from the frame to make for the neither boxlock nor sidelock Tobin design, metal that the gun can ill afford to lose. This was most likely not an issue at the time the Tobin patent was issued, and smokeless powder loads, with higher pressure, were still over the horizon. If a Tobin had been whittled from a block of 4140 chromoly, that was then properly hardened, I also suspect one would never have a problem with one.

But, they weren't.

I have no problem with how they look, or handle, or shoot. The rollers built into the hammers, the separate, easily servicable strikers, and the springs with rollers, that do double duty as cocking rods, is a clever design. If you keep the pressure down on the loads you feed it, you can expect about the same service most other guns would give.
As the 20s began to roar, I'm guessing most Tobins had been handed down to younger shooters or served as backup guns to repeaters, and they saw more hard use, less care, and some abuse. Most lower grade double guns were not considered more than tools in that era. It isn't hard to find one in poor shape. In most cases, that isn't a guns fault.
I enjoyed all of mine, but, prefer guns that can be fed a bit more easily from the bargain table, if need be. At this time, I'm not interested in owning any of the guns that S. Bruce Ewell did in his era, for that simple reason.

Best,
Ted

Ted makes an excellent point. Clarence Wollam's patent was issued in 1893
https://patents.google.com/patent/US498043A/en

By the time Tobin production started in 1904 Smokeless Powder was in general use.

I haven't shot any of my Tobins enough to note any issues. Those old 3 1/2 drams of bulk smokeless powder or 28-grains of Infallible or Ballisite dense smokeless powder pushing 1 1/4 ounce of shot 12-gauge loads available when the Tobins were being built were plenty hot!!

G.B. Crandall offered 12-gauge 3-inch guns on the Tobin action in the twenties and thirties.

It would be nice to see one of those Crandall 3" Tobins, to see if he altered the frame at all, or just added 3" chambers and called it good. I've seen plenty of lever way left Tobins, and have seen more than one with a bent frame.

I owned a 40 grade, 12 gauge, serial number 700, that a friend suggested I bore the tubes out to 10 gauge, and rifle one of them to open the choke. It weighed about 9 pounds.
I never got the gun shooting, I was still replacing parts and wood on it when someone asked to buy it for the barrels.

I have a hunting partner that still owns the black finish Tobin 12 I sold him, that I got from John Mann, and he uses it to great effect with 2 1/2 Vintagers, on pheasants. It required a shim on the hook, done by Mike Orlen, and I know for fact it is his favorite double.
Sometimes an old gun speaks to you. I have a Nitro 16 that gives me a good chuckle when everything goes right and we, the dog and I, get a bird with it.


Best,
Ted

Gun has been sold. Didn�t get publicly sold. My suspicion is that someone gave the older lady a cash offer and took advantage of her lack of knowledge of guns. Just my suspicion.