doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Wilkes-Barre

Geo, collecting can be fun but you always find new things to collect if you are lucky. I collect doubles with different locking/opening systems. When I started I knew of four or five different ones. It seems like there are two dozen or more of them from the simple to vastly overly complex. I am sure a few remain for me to find.

I tried to collect all different species of ducks seen on the Chesapeake Bay and it�s surrounding rivers. I had a full cape head mount of each of them for my wall. You�d see just the front of the breast, neck and head mounted on a nice looking Walnut plaque with an engraved plate noting species, date taken and location. Had over two dozen mounted and my still to find list was getting shorter and shorter. I did it to make fun of my hunting buddies who lusted for that big buck mount for their walls. Had a real nice line of them on my gun room wall until I had an infestation of some bug which seemed to like them better than I did. Ended up throwing them all out which made my wife happier.

Jon, I had a nice mount of a sharp-tail grouse a friend did for me. The cat climbed the bookcase and attacked it for some reason. Its still on the wall but one wing looks kind of funny...Geo

Looks like they cleaned up the butt plates of their forerunner Parry Fire Arms Co.

Good observation Researcher. I'm glad you posted because my gun came with two old Wilkes-Barre newspaper articles which detail the Parry connection and history of the Wyoming Valley gun manufacturing saga. If I can get them scanned and posted they may be of some value to you...Geo

George. nice, should I take your name off my C grade ?
Both of mine have that buttplate and I believe they made a D grade as well. I grew up in Carnegie and I say Wilkes -Bear but that doesn�t mean much.

When my team started running Porsches a few years ago the boss had a stern meeting that we were to call them Porsche-Ahh. He gave a few people a hard time in the early weeks. I got a good laugh the day I was calling a big dealership trying to find a part and asked for Porsche-ah parts and the lady replied smug as shit. �Oh you mean Porsch-�

No Marks_21, don't take my name off anything. If you'd like I'll get you a Will drafted that settles the matter completely...Geo

"I am glad Keith was able to make this happen for you. Along with the G.Fox, Boston Sideswing (there are 3 examples of), you also ought to have the Semi-Hammerless and the Whitmore patent Hammerless. Forhand & Wadsworth, a graded Torkelson, Tobin, H&R/Deeley, etc...Ever seen an engraved N.R. Davis?"

And don't overlook the Hollenbeck Gun Co, Three Barrel Gun Co, and Royal Gun Co. side x sides just to name three more!

I�ll be the witness!

Topgun, the matter boils down to an appropriate (personal) definition of 'American Classic'. First it has to be classic, so that cuts out CSMC and Winchester in my mind. Then classic must be further defined by quality which is very much in the eye of the beholder. Finally, classic must have been widely distributed, successful, and long lived, although that might have weeded out Wilkes-Barre if I'd been unsuccessful in ever finding one.

I'm not much familiar with the other guns mentioned in your post, but I had a N. R. Davis which contrary to its advertising, was not "as good as the best". I think of Tobin as Canadian, H&R as pre-fab British, Hollenbeck et al as precursor to other American Clasics. De gustibus non est disputandum...Geo

Top gun, I have an engraved N.R. Davis. Not many around. . I�m away from my pics, but can get you one if you remind me in a week or so. The Davis has sort of the profile of the American Arms Whitmore patent, but different mechanics with a square �Greener� crossbolt.