doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com What was your first sxs

16 gauge Ithaca Flues Field Grade, barrels had been cut to 25" with no choke....It was 1966 and I saw its owner trying to trade it at the Gun counter at the big Gibson's Discount Center in Abilene.

Sporting goods manager, Mr. Littleton, was not interested in it so I followed the old chap out the front door and asked about his gun.... He said he needed to buy a used .22 for the squirrels in his pecans, could not shoot the shotgun in town and needed cheaper shells...
I wound giving him $15.00 for a sawed off loose stock wobbly barrel double....

I ran by the shop of the renowned Freeman A. Davis, a world class gunsmith who lived in town, and showed him my prize.... he was unimpressed by it to say the least. He told me to leave it and he would put it in order...He was a cantankerous old cuss who had no patience for anyone who thought they knew more about guns than him...I had not contemplated having him do any work on it. I had an after school job, but dreaded going broke on this gun...

I returned in a week to find the stock tight on the action, correct screws in the butt plate, the rough end of the barrels smoothed out and proper solder covering the end of the ribs where the hacksaw left its mark, a front bead in place and the safety working correctly...I paid the 12.00 and left with my prize....

The next hurdle was my old man, he could not imagine why in the Hell I would waste money on that piece of junk when I had use of a perfectly fine A5 Solid rib 26" Sweet 16.

I was already a pretty seasoned bird hunter at 16 years and was going to take to the fields with my 2 Pointers with a gun like the famous writers that I spent my school hours reading about...It was pretty effective , but I did not bag near as many birds as I did with repeaters.....Remember trading it off in College , and it was quite a few years before I got serious with another SxS...

First I ever shot was a Savage Fox, we were visiting my mom's ne'er do well uncle in upstate NY, I was about 10 years old and the 12 ga knocked me on my ass.

First I bought was 25 years later, I had been hunting for 5 years with a Browning BPS 12ga Upland Special. I found a 16ga Winchester 24. I didn't use it much, it handled not much better than the Browning. Down the road it went after 5 years, in the meantime I found a 16ga NID which is on the rack with about 20 other double guns and still get used on wet days.

My first SxS was a Nobel (Spanish) 16 ga. Couldn't hit worth a damn with it but wish I still had it. Last I knew, the teacher from Mi gave to someone in Florida and he told me a few years ago he could get it back if I wanted it I said yes I did and then a few months later he passed. That was my first gun got it on Xmas when I turned 13. Wonder what happened to it.

Stevens 311 was my first SxS.

Stevens Model 311 in 12 gauge that I still have!!!

Lots of 311s!

The first SxS I had use of was a 20ga. Stevens 311 that belonged to my father. The first SxS I purchased was an AyA marketed by Sears. 12 ga., 28" barrels, M&F chokes and double triggers. I shot that gun very well but it started doubling before it's first pheasant season was over. Sent that one down the road but it has been replaced with many others. Still have the 311 but haven't shot it in over 50 years.

Dennis

Guys,
There seems to be a recurring theme here that "I should have kept it".
I too should have kept my first one, that BSS sporter. Hindsight can be a painful thing.
Karl

Being the youngest of my generation I inherited a lot of farmers old doubles and a few sporterized bolt action rifles. Having little interest in them I traded a group of them to a local dealer for two AH Foxes as what I consider my two first doubles. A nice Sterlingworth 20 and an "obsolete" Sterlingworth 16. He even threw in two boxes of 16 shells. My oldest son has the 16 and the 20 is downstairs in the gunroom. Been thinking about using it for an upgrade project which I doubt I'll ever get around to doing.

I often was asked by relatives, aunts and great aunts, if I still had that old double I inherited and would point to the gun cabinet and say two old doubles are sitting on the end. Seemed to make them happy and to be fair they could not tell one gun from another except it had two barrels.

Stevens 311 20ga.
I don't think I could hit the inside of a phone booth if I was in it, with that gun. I'm kinda thinking it didn't fit me right++_+_
Traded it for a Model 12, 12ga with a muffler on it. At least I could kill a bird with the Model 12.
Do not miss the 311.