doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com W.C. Scott Excellentia

See this auction from 2018
Is this a fair representation as to what a gun like this should bring today?
Is there a grade determinaton for the Excellentia, that seems to be a name used for the model and have many levels of engraving coverage?


W.C. Scott ExcellentiaW.C. Scott Excellentia

This would seem to be a modest price for this gun but not knowing the condition of the barrels leaves a question mark. The subjective description does not provide the information I would need. I have a few other models of Scotts and although hammer guns are priced much higher.

Thanks Tamid, any idea as to grading? The one I am looking at is a clone to the one I linked. It has very long lines of text on the tops of both barrels and a Star in gold inlay on the top rib.

The fit of the barrels at the breech on this Scott could raise questions as to the barrels origin. Many of these old Scott's were made where the barrels did not have full reach to the top of the action and this one may be OK, it just that I cannot see enough of the action to barrel fit at the top to give full marks. Other than these questions and the barrel's complete condition and it's current proof, it appears from what I can see to be a wonderful specimen that I would like to own if it had not had the chambers length to 2 3/4 inch causing it to be out of even black powder proof. Also as a caution one should never bid (or buy) on guns without seeing photos of the barrel flats and action breech face and its flats. How often have you seen a seller show photos of the action face and flats?

The sellers comment that the barrels are out of black powder proof but the barrels are thick and suitable for low brass( I take to mean USA manufactured low brass shotshells) is a comment that causes a knowledgeable person to question much and produces the opinion that the seller has no understanding or very limited knowledge of the pressures of shotshells.

If this gun was in "excellentia" condition mostly meaning that the barrels are so with much wall thickness, in Nitro proof, and mirror bores then one would expect it to bring much, much more. In my opinion as expressed above the gun sold for much more than its real value as a safe shooter.

I know that my comments are more than what was asked by Mark, but maybe these remarks will help gun neophytes.

Maybe Dustin will comment as he is most current on the values of these delightful old Scotts.

Mark; is your Scott that you referenced Nitro proofed?

Kindest Regards;
Stephen Howell

Well, I guess we will find out this afternoon. Like a dummy. I just went ahead and bought it. I’m gonna go pick it up after work.

Mark;

I am hoping that you have found and purchased a jewel of a gun.

Kindest Regards;
Stephen Howell

About 2.5 to 3k for an Excellentia or equivalent grade in fairly good to excellent condition is about right. Most of these guns will have close to 3” DAH, sometimes more, rarely less than 3” though. A good many will be off the face, and almost all of them will probably require a professional strip and clean. The hook cocking system is very good, but can be finicky if things are gummed up. A lot of these guns are black powder proofed and show signs of being shot with heavy bp loads, if it was used for waterfowling, no telling how many overly stuffed bp loads the thing has digested during its 120+ years of use.
My Scotts are all Bp proofed, I shoot nitro loads in them that are way below the pressure generated by the bp loads that were used in the guns back in their heyday.
Another thing to look closely at when you get the gun in hand is the condition of the stock, look very carefully at the wrist and in the checkering to see if you can detect any repairs through that area. I’ve inspected a lot of old Scotts that have been fractured….more than likely the cause is from using extremely heavy game or pigeon loads in them. Higher grade Scotts usually have very good quality French walnut on them, many times it’s not the woods fault.

I have a Scott built on this action when I took it apart to clean I found a very high quality fit and finish just beautifully made gun and mine isn't an exelencia.

You found a WC Scott in a Gunshop near Blacksburg? Pray tell where?

I’ve been in Wisconsin for the last two weeks. I could’ve found this thing across the entire middle of the country.