doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Temptation...

Saw a lovely pinfire down at Whittington last week. A variation on the Dougal Lockfast that I'd never seen before and in absolutely remarkable condition. One could be tempted to go down that road with such a gun but....(a big but!)...ammo would likely be an ugly reality.

When I consider all of the "unconventional" artifacts that I already own and enjoy (bamboo fly rods, silk fly lines, damascus-barrelled hammer guns, old muscle cars, etc.) you wouldn't think that this would be too-far of a step but....upon further reflection it actually is, even for me.

It would be a fun project and there likely are some solutions out there, but (yet another "but") I'm simply running out of bandwidth here.

With too-many other obligations, chores and distractions already on the ground here, and with my own energies starting to wain (just a bit) I'm afraid that this will remain a road untravelled, at least for me.

A sad admission...

Best,
Ted

As true now as it was then Ted.

I'm at a point where I should be selling things off, while at the same time being at a point where I'm having trouble letting things go, and then at a point where I see things I have wanted and still want but have to resist. I guess it is part of the "getting old isn't for sissys" thing.

Preach it, brother.

I’m right there with you.

Best,
Ted

Typically I would say to not let the old man in Ted, but it would appear I'm about 30 years too late

Lloyd,
I like a reloading challenge but pin fire guns are a step too far for me. Flinters maybe be in my future, as well as a percussion shotgun now that I have a nice Setter. The early cartridge guns are very interesting.
Steve

try to balance the buying and selling...

dollar fur dollar...

and you should be ok...

I’m single. I expect to be single when I die. I don’t need to take into consideration a wife left to deal with my crap.

I’m going to buy the weird old guns I want to buy and with any luck, will have enough time between being unable to pick one up and dying, to give them all away to deserving souls.

I think it’s a good plan. 🤣

The temptation is often there to buy something different or just another SxS. I'm always at least looking at the antique or vintage SxS's that come up for auction, it borders on an addiction.

I don't need another one, but often want another one. I suspect many of you have deeper pockets than I do. I have noticed that there seem to be a lot fewer under $3K hammer or sidelock SxS shotguns in good shape and of good quality than 5 years ago.

One would love that Dougall pinfire. I load pinfire shells and really like to use them bird hunting. The quality of pinfire guns was at the highest point of gunmaking and many are just fantastic.






For pictures and information on Baker Shotguns, click on the address below

Daryl:

I sort-of figured that somebody had solved the pinfire problem... and it is so-tempting to contemplate an upland hunt with such a weapon (unique on so-many fronts),

Moreover, I had already come to understand the level of quality of doubleguns being produced in England the 1870s, so to hear that earlier guns (early 1860s?) were also exceptional isn't entirely surprising.

For me now, it is a matter of juggling conflicting interests. Already counting (& thankfully) many blessings, adding yet one more obscure pursuit isn't necessary a good idea.

Never had a pinfire, myself. I just bought my first hammer gun. (Really interesting story there) I guess the Model 21s keep getting in the way. I see the pinfire hulls at shows all the time. Well, maybe I'll keep working on the pinfires in the future.

These Continental pinfires are somewhat of an art form. I load brass cases made for me by Rocky Mountain Cartridge. The cases last almost forever. Some of the hunting pinfires are from Britain . A Dougall Lock Fast , cased with every accessory originated in Scotland. Gauges I have shot are 24,,28, 20,16,12,10, and 8.

Daryl: I just love the look of those pinfire hammers (they really do look like dolphins!).

At the risk of being dragged down a rabbit-hole, could you elaborate on how you load your pinfire shells? The fellow who owned that Dougal told me that he was experimenting with plastic shells (old Active hulls) which seemed a bit much to me. Brass makes far-more sense somehow.

Ohhh....16 gauge even!

Lloyd, one of the reasons for using Active hulls is that their rims can be turned down to fit the normal pinfire rim recesses without falling apart , but plastic hulls and black powder produce a short hull life. The brass ones last almost indefinitely. If you get to the point where you want to load pinfire shells, I can email my process using Rocky Mountain Cartridge brass cases.

Wow(!)...I didn't realize that pinfire shells were also "rimless" as well...yet another challenge to overcome before any use is even contemplated.

Daryl: Thankyou so much for the offer to share your "process" (& I understand your reticence here completely) but....much like SKB, this is a "bridge too-far" for me as well. At least at this time.

None-the-less...I'm quite impressed by what I believe you have developed here.

Truly neat stuff!

Pinfire shells are not rimless, but can have a tiny bit smaller rim diameter than most centerfire shells.

Depends on where you are looking, Steve:

https://superbikeschool.com/

Mid Ohio raceway in early August. Let me know if you want to meet up there. Dimmy could ride his Harley and we could wave to him in the parking lot. They won’t let him in, however. I’ll be on the FJ for the commute, but, the school bikes are so sweet. You’ll have fun, I promise.

I have inherited three gun collections, and parts of several others. All the stuff is pretty much outside my interest, and, I have safes full of guns I don’t and will never use. If you need a first year Remington 700 in 7mm magnum, let me know, but, the older I get, the more I realize almost nobody needs one of those.

In close to the same breath you admitted you don’t need a pinfire, you criticized me for wanting to send some stuff I don’t/won’t use down the road.

Best,
Ted

You can also get original paper shells (100+ years old) and load those. I’ve sold quite a few to people who hunt with them. Most replace the cap in them first but some have reported that they original caps still work fine after all these years.

They were generally all produced as new-primed empties so easy to load with whatever you need. And you can have the fun of using antique loading tools with them if wanted too.

No Ted, Just giving you a gentle ribbing for being the curmudgeon that you take so much pride in being.

I nearly slipped up a week or two ago and was almost pulled into a 1951 BSA chopper project.

Gun projects keep me plenty busy and I'm a long way from done.

Beautiful pinfire shotguns,,,very interesting and informative posts too.
I'd guess you have to be very careful not to drop one of those cartridges onto a hard surface.

Kutter, I read all of your posts. Wish we had a ton more like yours. Yes, dropping one of the pinfire shells seems like it could be a problem. I have never had that happen. The French, and probably later , the English, developed some cartridge carriers worn on the belt like these.




The pins were protected. I have never had it confirmed, but would guess the pinfire cartridge was developed because of what primers were on hand at the time. The percussion primer, of course. To make a breech loading gun with percussion primers , the next step was the pinfire. Most pinfires did not have extractors, but used the pin to pull on while removing the fired cartridge.

Talk about obscure stuff...pinfire cartride boxes even!

Too much cool...