And likely a good chance that the opening lever is well left of center. I had a couple of Tobins and have seen a few others. They all had the opening lever left of center which apparently was common on them. One of them I had had the straight English stock and I must say it was a nice handling gun. Even the pistol grip gun was nice and they weren't near as heavy as one would think. But, as mentioned, they aren't really a "high pressure" gun.
My 16 was as nice a handling gun as I have ever owned, 6lbs 1oz. It may be the last gun Stan Baker ever worked on, it was shipped back to me on a Monday, received on the next Thursday, and I learned of his death on Wednesday. Stan removed the forcing “steps” that were in the barrels, lengthened the forcing cones, opened the full x full chokes to SK and MOD, and polished the bores. I took the day off on Friday to grouse hunt with my girlfriend, and knocked the first bird I had ever fired the gun at out of the sky.
It was quite a week.
Most Tobins I’ve seen were low grade beaters. I can honestly say that about many various double shotguns built here in the states. But, I think the Tobin, perhaps more so than other early American designs, If fed a diet of high pressure ammunition, will fail sooner, rather than later.
Best,
Ted
