Saw this while snooping around...thought there might be some interest here especially being ejector bbls. No, they aren't mine, I don't know the seller, etc.

http://m.ebay.com/itm/VERY-RARE-Manufran...2063?nav=SEARCH

Damn and I have a 12 GA no 6

I think they would come close to fitting my 6REE Excelsior. And at 25.5 inches might be a good companion set for the 29" barrels that came with the gun. However, mine doesn't have the through lumps so I would imagine some significant amount of fitting would be required. Worth thinking about though.

Interesting that a grade 6 has only four palms.


Mike

I should probably know this but what does the 6.5 stamped for each barrel just ahead of the lump?

On my what I think is a 6REE it is stamped the same way with a 7.

Also, the quality of the engraving on the rib doesn't seem to be nearly the quality of mine.

My No6 is stamped with four palms also.

I am going to pass, the requisite ejector forearm would be as rare as an honest politician, and fitting the barrel would be nightmarishly expensive.

My No 6 has 5 palm barrels and is an ejector. The more I look at this......

Buy the barrels, send the whole package to Mackinson and he'll get it all fitted up, wham....an ejector, two barrel set Ideal, rare as hens teeth. And for $250?? Where are you ever gonna find that again?

My gun doesn't have through lumps. Do you think it's a simple (never is) of filing down the bottom of the lumps to fit?

I don't think it would be a tough job for a guy with Mackinsons machining background, truthfully it will probably be the easiest part of the job. One area of concern might be the fit of the forend to the barrels. That is really the only major issue I could see. A big plus is the barrels on the ideal really don't do a lot of work. All of the mechanics are located in the action itself, that helps a lot.
Another area that might be interesting would be the fit of the locking bolt to the barrel lumps....depending on the fit, either the barrel hook or the lumps themselves might need to be built up to fit the existing bearing surfaces, or a new locking bolt to be fabbed up to fit both barrels. You'd have to talk with Mack and see what he thinks. I really don't think any of the above is a bank account bomb, and it's most certainly within Macks skill set.

I see that someone else besides me does an occasional search for "Manufrance" Gil

Yep. And every once in a while it'll come up with something other than a clapped out bicycle, coffee maker, meat grinder, tire pump or some other kitchen or garage implement!!:-).

Seller description notes other parts from this gun. I did not see any in his current listings. Did you ask him if he has the forend? That would be a great find to go with the barrels. I came across a set of Sterlingworth ejector barrels and the seller had the complete ejector forend less wood. Bought it for $25.00 extra and made the entire deal a winner for me. The seller said he had considered throwing it out because the wood was split. Close call.

Good idea Jon.

I don't buy much on ebay but surprised to find out there is no way to contact this seller and ask a question.....like have you got the forened iron.

James,
if you are signed in to Ebay, then click on the sellers name. This brings you to another page and in the upper right is the "contact" button. You can then ask questions.

Thanks Steve but I did that. No contact available. Seems weird to me.

strange.....I just sent him an email asking if there are other parts for this gun for sale. I'll put you in touch if he responds to me.

At near the VERY bottom of the listing


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I have sent this question

"What other parts for this shotgun might you have?"

Mike

p.s. SKB beat me to the punch by 13 seconds
Oh, well, now he has two requests

My searches are quite frequent. Just yesterday a friend had a need for a specialized part that was partially fractured but still functioning: three minutes on the internet and I found two available. That's just one of the great things about these guns- many parts are still available if you're willing to work with the French.

It was me Wingshooter was searching for a part for...a leaf spring to replace one on my gun the smith tells me is cracked.

Thanks Mike!!

Well Dustin, rare just might depend on the company you keep: this weekend will find at least three 16 Ideals in one place, two of them No. 5's, one of them a two barrel set. I actually have two 16's with four sets of barrels, but only three fitted up so far. If James ever gets off his rear and gets hold of a 16, I may be persuaded to part with this set in the white.

BTW, thanks again for introducing me to these great guns.

For you Ideal fans, check out this "Ace of Spades" with exploded views- totally cool.
http://www.steniron.com/sotto_la_pelle/index.php?id_product=12&controller=product&id_lang=2

Speaking of barrels with palms, the Ace of Spades Mike linked to has 5 palm barrels. I have heard that they went up to 7 palms but have never seen a set higher than 5. Has anyone else ever come across or seen a pic of 6 or 7 palm barrels?

I'm thinking it's probably because he makes a big point of saying he won't deal with anyone outside of Continental USA and ebay automatically screens me out. Just a guess.

He could detect the Toronto accent in your typing.

Hey, could that 6.5 be centimeter chamber length, or 65 mm?

Thus your 7 would be.....70mm

Hey that's a thought. I'm so used to it always being in mm, I just never considered cm, so chamber length didn't register.

Damn, they're sold!

I had just asked Wingshooter to buy them for me and now they are gone.

Wingshooter was yanking my chain!!! We are now proud owners of the barrels that are the subject of this thread.

For you Ideal fans, check out this "Ace of Spades" with exploded views- totally cool.
http://www.steniron.com/sotto_la_pelle/index.php?id_product=12&controller=product&id_lang=2


I was interested in the French gun-part names. Unfortunately the exploded views/site is in Italian (Which I also understand pretty well). I did see a Manufrance Ideal for sale on a French website last month with two barrel sets. I need to open a business with cousins by marriage in St. Etienne to import these guns to L'Amerique.

Argo, I have already brought three over. Easy peasy.

Well, not to begin with but we got it figured out.

Well those will be some expensive, inexpensive barrels I predict

If i had a little more mad money, I might have been tempted to buy them.

But I need some night vision googles......

What's expensive or inexpensive when it comes to gun work? Fitting a set of ejector barrels should cost how much? People don't know what a cheapskate you are like I do Rocky ;-)

I'm glad you got the barrels Canvasback, keep us posted on the progress! Any idea who you'll have do the work?

Rocky thinks it costly because he has been going to Mike (Wingshooter) for advice!

Considering my options, Dustin, but have already started the hunt for forend iron. Mike found a 16 ejector already. I am guessing I could find a suitable 12 within a year by searching France. But first I need to have the barrels checked out for wall thickness and bore condition before anything else happens.

There are a few options for getting the work done up here. I have the utmost confidence Nick could do the work very well. I'm concerned about how long he might take to get at them....last time I left a gun with him for work, it was a very long time before it was going to get to his bench. The problem is that is the case for most of the very good SxS smiths up here. I have a few names in mind, all of whom have done lovely work for me in the past. I'll probably put that decision off until I get all the necessary parts assembled.

When it cost more than a couple of acres on the Rolling Plains it is expensive

Canvasback,
So, how do the barrels look to you? What do you think will be required to fit them up to your 6E? Did you measure them for thickness and chokes, etc.? 70mm chambers? Can you use your existing fore end?

They currently are in the hands of our mutual friend, Mike. According to him, good wall thickness, appear to be original short barrels (25.5") with mod and full chokes, untouched. In need of some TLC. Am searching France for a suitable ejector forend (or just the iron). By the time I get that, the barrels will have made their way up here and then it will be a matter of fitting it all together. I am hopeful it will go smoothly but preparing for it to not.

New ways to spend money! As I said to Mike, the real benefit of buying these barrels is now I need to go out and find a proper case to hold the gun and both barrels, after dropping $500 to get the original case repaired/restored. Doh!

I had helped Dennis (the Stock Doctor) two or three years ago at his booth at the Dallas Safari Club event in that January. We were right next to Mark of Mark's Born Again Bird Guns. I told Mark that I was in the market for a leg o' mutton case for a gun with two sets of barrels. It was maybe a year later, he remembered my request and contacted me as soon as he acquired one. Very fair price and honest description. Drop him a line.

Oh, and the safe space rental fee for this month hasn't arrived...

Mike

Glad to hear that the project is moving forward. Maybe a nice custom trunk case is in order?

Ken- have you got the new springs?

Just thought I would update this thread now that I know what is going to happen.

Was able to spend some time last night with another member (and phenomenal gunsmith) CJO and had him review the recently acquired 25" barrels and the Ideal we were hoping to fit them to.

Claudio's assessment is that any deficiencies with the barrels were fixable, the lumps and hook were well placed and measurements for those parts and most of the others were typically larger for the new barrels than the originals, making fitting possible with some careful grinding.

However, there is one insurmountable problem.....the external diameter of the 25" barrels is significantly smaller than the originals. No real, aesthetically pleasing way to fit them to the larger receiver.

Claudio's best solution consisted of welding on some kind of band around the breech end that would expand the external barrel diameter, making an accurate fit between barrels and receiver possible. UGLY!

I think these barrels will get leaned up in the corner of the safe as a ready supply of ejector parts or for if and when I ever pick up another 12 gauge Ideal.

Thanks Claudio, for taking a look last night. I appreciate your willingness to share your hard won knowledge. And as always, very enjoyable to spend a bit of time with you. And when you get home tonight....go to work on assembling that German gun! Too nice to spend 10 years in pieces!