doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Flues features by grade

Still have a few of the late Flues shop journals that will be sent soon. Gun 308761 finished 7/22/19 with Damascus barrels. Leafing through the books, most barrels are fluid steel, the odd Krupp into 1919. A few batches of guns made with Damascus barrels into late 1919. Not many if any after that. We did see, nor too long age, an NID three barrel set and one of the barrels was Damascus.
Page 359 of my second edition shows a photo of the barrel storeroom, I don't know how they kept anything straight.

I have never been able to keep the lower grade Flues features straight. I am blessed to have purchased a GR1 16ga s/n 217312 with 30" Krupp barrels from Mr. James Tyson. I believe the manufacture date was 1912. Krupp? Gr1? 1912? Seems like an odd ball. BEAUTLFUL condition.

Thanks again to Researcher, Walt,Dr Hause and others for the invaluable information. It is heart warming to know that Mr. Snyder's legacy is being preserved by McCracken. Tentatively appears I've stumbled across one of the last remnants of our much loved history of production Damascus. I'll treasure this 'hybrid' as a successful tribute to that honorable age. Doug Fore

Also, as a side note, whoever bored/finished these barrels was outstanding. Unbelievable concentric patterns with both tubes. The 'full' side reaching out with beautiful symmetry to a good 50 yards, with STS Managed Recoil 7/8's - 8.5's. I've misplaced a very cherished book that had a variety of authors discussing manufactures such as Ithaca,L.C. Smith, LeFever, Parker, Browning and others. I recall some mention of a bearded gentleman who for decades had bored the Ithaca guns. He was probably retired by the time this gun was produced, however if not him, the tradition continued.

"Uncle" Bob Edwards
1908
https://books.google.com/books?id=xSEPAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA2-PA23&lpg

1922
https://books.google.com/books?id=00woAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA240&lpg

http://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=298195&page=1

In this case "Bob IS your Uncle"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob%27s_your_uncle

As always, astonished at wealth of knowledge here, much appreciated!

One thing for sure is that there were lots of changes and variations in the 1 and 1 1/2 grade guns.
Specifically with the 16's and 20's, I've seen most every combination of engraving and tube steel in those grades.
Plenty of the guns lack a grade stamp of any kind.
Krupp barrels being seen often, chain barrels several times.
Unfortunately, I didn't record all of the serial numbers.
Some of the Krupp barrels are marked on top, some only on the bottom, some both.
Some of the guns marked on the underside only may have even been field grades.
Bill, I believe that your gun may have been in a serial block run of 30" Krupp barreled 16's.
I want to say that it was like 100-150 guns.
Perhaps Walt can verify that or at least where that block occurred.

RR,
I also purchased his GR1 12ga Flues S/N 221987 (also 1912). It would surprise me if this gun has ever been fired. No markings at all on top of the barrels. 28" barrels marked 0 and 4/4. Very cool. Although from the literature I believe it should be a grade 1S because of the LLH marked barrels.

On the 16ga, I think he had "block of 50" in his listing. I neglected to print it before he took it down.

Both guns are treasures. Low grade guns in this condition are far and few between. I have been searching for years.

Bill, Yep, that 50 sounds right.
Wish that I had more of my files and pictures.
Tyson has owned some 'dandies', I'm sure that they are nice.