doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com So How Have Your Tastes Changed in Double Guns?

Hi all, just thought I'd throw this out for fun. So have your tastes in double guns (I should say SxS) changed over the years?

Here's mine:

Used to like SST now I love DT

Used to like PG now I like English grips

Used to need 3" chambers - never used them (for upland that is)

Didn't care about weight - now the lighter the better (getting old)

Now, things that have not changed, that I still like:

Coin finished receivers

Nice figured wood

Barrels no longer than 28" (I'm short)

Splinter or Semi Beavertail FE

Prefer raised ribs

How about you?

All the best!

Greg

Things that have not changed for me:
20 & 28 ga. are my favorites
I like short barrels
I like lightweight guns

Things that have changed:
I love damascus barrels
I prefer color casehardened metal
The figure in the wood is a major consideration when buying
I'm drawn to ventelated rib guns

Greg,
I used to like round actions and wood...now I realize that many round looking guns (wood) have had their sharp edges sanded off...it looks terrible to me now...especially on a L C Smith...even the guns that left the factory like that (Cordy/Gastiene Renette) look bad to me now...(Dickson and Kennedy still look good)

I used to NOT like sideplated doubles...now that I know that the French elevated the faux sidelock to feather weights not achievable with a conventional box lock, I've gained a new appreciation for them...

I used to NOT like any skip line checkering...again the French have changed my opinion


I hope this was the kind of responses you were looking for...

Biggest change for me is I am more attracted to the nicely engraved guns. When I was younger, I liked the plain Jane stuff.

Still love a nicely color cased frame. I have switched from using a 16 gauge for most of my hunting to a 20.

Kind regards, and Merry Christmas to all.

I used to like double guns I couldn't afford. Oh, I guess nothing has changed. At least I have a house full of double guns I couldn't afford if I had to buy them today.

Sentiment towards old American doubles has not changed; if anything, I've become more appreciative of their craftsmanship. What has changed is that I'm shooting mostly 20 gauge. I swore off 20s 25 years ago after chasing down cripples half the day with dog and boat. Now, with the right choking and right gun for me, mostly shooting over decoys from a blind, it's the SKB Model 500 IC/M SST---that Modified is a wonderful choke and there's always a three-incher to stuff in for geese.

Tomorrow, for sentimental reasons, it'll be a near-mint 1938 L.C. Smith 12 gauge Specialty Grade M/F for whistlers from a rock blind on a small low snowy island with only one spruce tree 300 metres from our house. Members of this board provided valuable advice to me before I travelled 100 miles to have a look at this gun some years ago, and their generosity is appreciated every day.

My first SxS (early 1990's) was a William Powell 13 guage muzzle loader...from there it's progressed to cartidge guns...Top teir vintage English hammer guns. I've Traded and bought into the guns I wanted...I've been real lucky so far.

I still like the Damascus barrels and hammer guns but they're not a reqirement anymore. I've got a nice sidelock I shoot pretty well....but I still find myself reaching for the hammers sometimes when I shoot it.

I really don't think much has changed over these many years. A great host of guns have come and most have gone as I either traded, sold or passed them to others.
One constant has remained. An appreciation for a gun that seems to have a soul, if you will.
Their cosmetics are mostly all different but each has an elegance and appearance of grace. Be they solid 10 gauge wildfowlers or gracile small gauge bird guns. Beautiful Damascus, exposed hammers of elegant cast, and wood that could grace a high alter piece are all appreciated.
So too is my Quail Hammerless.
I suppose that not much could evolve as I started early to appreciate what is beautiful.
Best,
John

At first I was attracted only to modern sxs guns with sst's, ejectors. Then I finally reluctantly knuckled into the superiority of the O/U for my target shooting. Then I started getting interested in LC's and found that I really had an attraction to all the American vintage guns. Along with that attraction, double triggers come...so I had to get used to it. I found myself learning the DT guns well and could/can go between sst/DT guns without any thought. Ejectors were a high preference initially, but now I'm tolerant of extractors and finding I don't want to put up with the extra issues of 100 yr old ejectors most of the time. I didn't have any use for a damascus gun 5 yrs ago and now have 3 (all DT,extractor).

I've had mixed luck in purchasing 100 yr old American doubles, but enough disappointments in condition of guns that I've developed an attraction to a complete restoration of guns. Part of my problem is that I'm cheap, another problem is that I see lots of desireable configuration guns that are in some way in bad shape and therefore less marketable...and I'm an overly optimistic projectaholic. I currently have two completely restored damascus guns and one in the works, two others are in the restocking phase and a couple project guns are in the waiting stage.

I've now accepted that I can enjoy modern guns, vintage American doubles, and the odd Euro gun. But I have also come to realize that the most efficient quail killer guns, for my little quail patch and skills, that I have are either SST o/u, or sxs's or autos. Now I have no particular affinity to autos and I don't think they add any "pride in ownership/use" enjoyment to the hunt, but the hunting experience is still satisfying.

Initially only pistol grip guns were of interest. Not long ago, I was inclined only toward straight grip guns, now I accept both without prejudice.

I've come to appreciate my 20g 2bbl Super.

I only liked short barreled guns initially. Then only long barrels. Now I find I like both for different applications. 28" is still a nice all around length for me. Phez get hit more with 32" barrels by me than 26-28", or an auto with a 28" bbl which equates to about a 33" sxs/ou for sight radius.

I always like highly figured wood and nice engraving. All finishes on wood and metal can be attractive to me if well done.

For decades I used O/Us and still have my favorate ones. Now I use nearly exclusively svelt, easy handling, 6,0-7,0 lbs 12 and 16 gauge hammer doubles, mostly from 100+30/-10 years ago. Always preferred long barrels, mostly 75 cm (29,5 inches)-- 28 inches is a short barrel -- with at least one full choked. Semi-pistol grips were always preferred -- straight grips least because of lesser control. In warm weather double triggers prefered, with single triggers having a bit of an edge in winter when wearing heavy gloves, or double triggers made for use with heavy gloves. Foreends are splinter-type, with leather hand/barrel guards SOP. Narrow, lightweight slings are also SOP on guns when hunting. More and more I hunt with easy carrying, 6 1/4 - 6 1/2 lb 16s.

Once used lots of 1 1/4 oz (36 grams) 1200 fps lead loads in 12 ga 7,5-8,0 lb O/U for hunting. Now my standard hunting loads are 1,0 oz (28 grams) at 1200-1300 fps in 12s and 16s with 65 and 67 mm chambers -- these guns were designed for these loads. Took my first limit of geese long, long ago with 28 grams of USA #6 lead shot. Last geese fell to 28 grams of #5 bismuth. Lifetime total for ducks with 28-30 grams Bismuth is approaching that with heavier loads of hard Pb alloy shot -- really cannot see much difference in killing power in field.

I still dislike case colors and extensive engraving for hunting guns. Prefer bare metal "coin finish, french grey, Ni-plating, etc." on sidelocks and lock boxes. Nice figured wood is always nice but my guns all have original, rather straight-grained wood. Simple, functional checkering, either net or diamond, is SOP.

In short, simple, elegant, deadly, easy carrying old hammer doubles have displaced simple, deadly O/Us that weight 1,0-2,0 lbs more.

Niklas

Niklas