doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Staron - St Etienne with sliding breech

I have a 12G side by side with a sliding breech block that I would like to hunt bird with.
Is there a reference archive where I can learn more about the gun?

I have been advised to hunt with 2.5" 12G shells. What load should I be looking for?

Thank you @ellenbr and @67galaxie for guiding me to this forum!

[img]https://www.shotgunworld.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,onerror=redirect,width=1920,height=1920,fit=scale-down/https://www.shotgunworld.com/attachments/img_8901b-jpg.40659/[/img]

Welcome to the forum.

If you can post some photos ( try signing in to Imgur) I am sure that there will be a member who can tell you a great deal about your gun.

Parabola

Glad ya made it over!

Voila the picture from Shotgun Word. Ted will be along shortly.



Here's a Naturabuy.fr ad for a Staron made sliding breech gun.
https://www.naturabuy.fr/Fusil-Darne-base-parfait-etat-tir-item-8190006.html

Staron listed at 14 rue Fogerolles, Saint-Étienne.
http://www.geneal42.com/Site/histoire/fabricants/armes.htm

Hello, Carl.
Welcome to the site. I can’t tell you much about the name on your gun, but, I can tell you that the gun itself is the first 1984 Darne R model patent. In 1909, Regis Darne patented several new Darne models, including an improved version of the R model. In a very clever marketing move, the older model R was available alongside the new model, and, sold out the back door to numerous builders as an in the white, barreled and proofed action, that would be finished, stocked and sold. There was nothing in particular wrong with the first 1894 patent action, and the improvements were actually debatable. All of them would have sold for less money than the new 1909 patent Darne action, assuming the same grade.
Your gun is unique in that it is actually a monobloc barrel gun, it is unusual to see that on the old patent guns, but, perhaps it was cataloged and ordered for a customer that way. I would have your gunsmith measure the chambers, bore and chokes so you have an idea what you have, and go from there. The load you use will depend on what you are hunting with it, and how long the chambers are. Sometimes you will find old doubles with seriously pitted bores, again, your gunsmith will guide you as to how you should approach using the gun if that is the case.
It is a lovely old gun, likely produced between the wars, and should make a nice hunting implement for birds.

Best,
Ted

Thank you @Ted and thank you all. I inherited the gun from my grandfather who probably was the first owner of the gun used in the deep forests of Sweden sometimes on a horse back and sometimes accompanied by hunting dogs. I take pleasure in using the gun in memory of my grandfather and the family. It is a beautiful piece that I now know a lot more about.

Carl

After a couple of shoots with 2.5" 21 grams 7.5 cartridges, I am wondering how the barrels are choked, is there a particular design on the Darne R models?

I found the back trigger fires both barrels simultaneously which surely is not by design?
I have asked a gunsmith to review the mechanisms to determine if there is a mechanical failure.

Carl

It is typical for older French guns to be more tightly choked than not. This was a product of the times, as fiber wads were the order of the day. Again, a decent gunsmith will have the necessary tools to measure the barrels, and let you know exactly what you have.
If the back trigger fires both barrels, something is wrong. The gun above appears to have had some heavy handed refinish of the wood. I would guess someone may have attempted to lighten the trigger pulls on the front trigger and worked the sear down a bit too much. That is a ticklish task on a Darne, and, depending on the skill of your ‘smith, and how much material was removed, it might be possible to get it so it at least doesn’t double fire.

Good luck. You are not the first guy with an old gun that needs some work, trust me.

Best,
Ted