I am resurrecting this thread as a teaser for my fellow Manufrance Ideal aficionados. Over the next few months (up to a year) I will be providing some updates on this gun, a Grade 6R EE Excelsior, as some work has been done already and more is in the works. Hopefully this may provoke more Ideal discussion. See what I did there?
First thing I did, in the spring of 2015, was send the barrels to our friend Doug Woodin (PA24). Despite this being a French gun and having significant reservations about allowing it into his workshop (LOL) Doug took delivery of it and did a stellar job of blackening it. I also have some barrels done by our friend on this site, CJO, and with both of them, I can't imagine better work being possible. Doug also admitted that these actually were pretty okay barrels. High praise indeed from Doug.
The stock was badly in need of a refinish and to have that hardened old pad dealt with. So the gun is currently with our member Newf,(Chris Dawe) getting a much needed refinish. After much deliberation with Chris, I decided to have a horn butt plate made as a replacement for the pad. Also, Chris was able to determine original chequering was at a crazy 36 lpi. That has been the subject of a lot of thought and I have finally decided 36 is just too much....might as well not chequer it. So will likely go with something fine but not that fine.
Chris also found a crack in the wood in the inletting so that has been pinned and glassed. And a cracked leaf spring (although it has not failed yet). Working on getting a replacement out of France so a spare is handy. If it arrives before Chris is putting the gun back together, he will just install the new spring.
I put a lot of thought into having it CCH'd, as I have done on a few other restorations. But on this gun, I have decided not to. One has to try to get the right aesthetic balance, especially with redone barrels and stock, but I have come to believe this gun is best served by leaving the action alone. Although I could probably be swayed by a really good argument in favour. Haha.
And finally, in another thread on this site, Lefusil and Wingshooter16 got me thinking very hard about adding a second set of barrels to the gun. The original barrels, made in 1919 are 5 palm, 29" barrels choked mod and full. I have acquired a set of 4 palm, 25.5" original length barrels that will be opened to appropriate Ruffed Grouse/Quail chokes. These barrels were also made in 1919, also made for a Grade 6 gun. Currently, I am searching out the ejector iron to have a new forend made as we fit the new barrels to the gun. As the forend making/barrel fitting portion of the job starts later this year, likely after hunting season, I will update with photos.
I expect the gun to be back in my possession from Chris before the end of August. He tells me the wood is looking pretty okay. When it arrives I will be posting some updated pics of the gun, as well as some "work in progress" pics Doug took of the barrels.
I have also had that unique leather gun case restored as much as possible. It's original construction method and current condition made a restoration very difficult but we did the best we could. So I'll get some photos of that up as well.
