Wingman Posted January 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2016 I am not expecting to do that well with it but will report back!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruno22rf Posted January 2, 2016 Report Share Posted January 2, 2016 Well said Wingman. I have a few O/U guns for clays-525, 101 and a medalist but they rarely see daylight as I am addicted to vintage SxS English Shotguns - they have character and history as well as being built by the finest Gunmakers the world has ever known-unlike the "tools" that are most modern guns. The only real advantage of my OU guns are the multi chokes that give far more versatility for any given situation but I also find that a nice quality SxS choked 1/4 and 1/2 ,or better still more open, will be effective 90% of the time. It might also be worth mentioning that shooting is not always about efficient killing (clays or game) and that many hours of pleasure are spent walking in the fields and enjoying the countryside-with a hundred year old gun over your arm,that you have restored back to its original condition, the pleasure is far greater. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingman Posted January 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2016 (edited) Cheers Bruno22RF I agree entirely. When I used to shoot rifles I owned a Blaser LRS2 in 6.5x55 with all the trimmings Schimdt & Bender scope etc cost me thousands. I then ended up buying a Lee Enfield No4 which I had rebarreled and I re-finished the stock myself. There was something very exciting about hitting a 1000yds target on stickledown at Bisley with open sights and a gun that was made decades ago. The Blaser ended up taking second place after that and I started collecting old military rifles. Much the same applies now to shotguns I am a tinkerer by nature and enjoy things with a bit of character and history. Edited January 2, 2016 by Wingman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FatFreddysCat Posted January 2, 2016 Report Share Posted January 2, 2016 Well said Wingman. I have a few O/U guns for clays-525, 101 and a medalist but they rarely see daylight as I am addicted to vintage SxS English Shotguns - they have character and history as well as being built by the finest Gunmakers the world has ever known-unlike the "tools" that are most modern guns. The only real advantage of my OU guns are the multi chokes that give far more versatility for any given situation but I also find that a nice quality SxS choked 1/4 and 1/2 ,or better still more open, will be effective 90% of the time. It might also be worth mentioning that shooting is not always about efficient killing (clays or game) and that many hours of pleasure are spent walking in the fields and enjoying the countryside-with a hundred year old gun over your arm,that you have restored back to its original condition, the pleasure is far greater. Me too, my newest gun is 112 years old. Part of the fun is keeping these old guns going and formulating your own loads to suit them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruno22rf Posted January 2, 2016 Report Share Posted January 2, 2016 My last purchase was only a baby at 102,advertised on this very forum a couple of months back, she's a stunning Damascus barreled 16g that was owned by the Mayor of Launceston-had the wood stripped and hand oiled and the finish is like glass, she is light enough to carry one handed all day long but puts up an ounce of shot with barely a nudge-that guns of such quality can be bought so cheaply astounds me but at least means that I can keep buying them . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingman Posted January 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2016 Over a century old, that's a different league to my 53 year old gun. I want an English SxS next, will see what I can get for a couple of hundred quid!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deershooter Posted January 2, 2016 Report Share Posted January 2, 2016 Using a side by side on proper clay shooting (not a fun shoot ) is like eating soup with a fork ,yes you can but its not very good Deershooter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wisdom Posted January 2, 2016 Report Share Posted January 2, 2016 Just to put things in a different perspective before o/u shotguns were invented the s X s was the only double barrelled gun availible and there were some magnificent shooters using them and still are.Yes a multi choke o/u has advantages but if the gun fits and is pointing in the right direction and the shooter has the ability it will break the clay or kill the bird. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FalconFN Posted January 2, 2016 Report Share Posted January 2, 2016 Over a century old, that's a different league to my 53 year old gun. I want an English SxS next, will see what I can get for a couple of hundred quid!! If you fancy a cheap English sxs to do-up then wabbitbosher has one for £35! If I was closer I'd have it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingman Posted January 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2016 If you fancy a cheap English sxs to do-up then wabbitbosher has one for £35! If I was closer I'd have it. Yes I saw that, I think I would prefer to spend a little more and get one in better nick. Certainly keeping an eye on what's around though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cookoff013 Posted January 2, 2016 Report Share Posted January 2, 2016 Care not your choking you must. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deershooter Posted January 2, 2016 Report Share Posted January 2, 2016 Just to put things in a different perspective before o/u shotguns were invented the s X s was the only double barrelled gun availible and there were some magnificent shooters using them and still are.Yes a multi choke o/u has advantages but if the gun fits and is pointing in the right direction and the shooter has the ability it will break the clay or kill the bird. No one has ever won a British or English competition in the last 35 years with a side by side unless it was a dedicated Side by side shoot . If your quote was true why don't any one who is any good use them now even the top game shooters use over / unders these days At my local club we have a couple of game shooters who spend in excess of £100,000 a year on game shooting both don't shoot side by sides . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wisdom Posted January 2, 2016 Report Share Posted January 2, 2016 Can't really answer that.Was just making an observation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruno22rf Posted January 2, 2016 Report Share Posted January 2, 2016 Its simply fashion-no more than that.Those who have felt the balance and grace of a well made SxS know the score - as for nobody winning major comps with one, I would suggest that the small matter of sponsorship comes into it-due to a change in fashion over a relatively short period of time no manufacturer is going to put money behind a shooter to promote guns sales that simply wont happen - far more economical to promote their CNC mass produced and laser etched toys for the boys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruno22rf Posted January 2, 2016 Report Share Posted January 2, 2016 The bosher sidelock at £65 would be a nice project-reblack the tubes (someone on this forum is quoting £90) and strip the woodwork and re oil it yourself-the gun looks identical to my Pollard who was a London maker and the fact that it has been sleeved would indicate that the action/wood are of sufficiently high quality to warrant such work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingman Posted January 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2016 Taking a look now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruno22rf Posted January 2, 2016 Report Share Posted January 2, 2016 Looks like it may have been built in Devon-I would guess 1910-1925 but proof marks will help. If I bought her I would budget around £300 to bring her back to life but then I am lucky enough to be able to pay to have the work done-I'm also bloody lazy so that helps-you could do a lot of the work yourself and save money or just use her as she is and get little bits done as and when you can afford it. If you were going to visit Douglas you might find he has something similar knocking about but Mick's prices (bosher) are almost impossible to beat-buying from Mick gives you the sense that you have just stolen from him and been offered a cuppa while you did it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FatFreddysCat Posted January 2, 2016 Report Share Posted January 2, 2016 The bosher sidelock at £65 would be a nice project-reblack the tubes (someone on this forum is quoting £90) and strip the woodwork and re oil it yourself-the gun looks identical to my Pollard who was a London maker and the fact that it has been sleeved would indicate that the action/wood are of sufficiently high quality to warrant such work. Was tempted by this myself as I already have an A. Gale 10g. However, I prefer them with hammers so will pass on this one. For info. George Gale started his gun-making business in 1869. He died in 1885 and his wife Annie took over the business until she died in 1905 when the business passed to their son Edward. That puts this gun between 1885 and 1905. The business was located in Joy Street, Barnstaple. Cut and paste from the 1890 Barnstaple trade directory below. Gabriel, Charles Henry, painter, , Strand, Gabriel, John, butcher, , Newport road, Gabriel, Mark, lodging house, 17, Ebberly lawn, Gabriel, Richard Henry, boot maker, , Strand, Gale, Mrs. Annie, gun maker, 20, Joy street, Galliford, William, painter, , Silver street, Gamble, Charles Hanlen, surgeon, , Union terrace, Gammon, Richard, shoeing smith, , Bear street, Gammon, William, carpenter, , Vicarage street, Gard & Trevorrow, , pawnbrokers, , Market street, Gardner, Mrs. Sarah, laundress, 9, Newport road, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruno22rf Posted January 2, 2016 Report Share Posted January 2, 2016 Well done that man-the amount of information readily available on this forum never ceases to amaze me. I would hazard a guess that these guns were mass produced and then simply stamped with the sellers name-millions of guns were made in Birmingham for just such a fate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingman Posted January 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2016 Very tempted just need to work out how to fit it into the cabinet which is pretty full at the moment, only a small one for the time being as were renovating our house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ehb102 Posted January 2, 2016 Report Share Posted January 2, 2016 my answer is WHY ? Why not? It's fun, it's different, it's a new challenge. I take the double triggered Baikal out for some skeet every now and then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matone Posted January 2, 2016 Report Share Posted January 2, 2016 Well said Wingman. I have a few O/U guns for clays-525, 101 and a medalist but they rarely see daylight as I am addicted to vintage SxS English Shotguns - they have character and history as well as being built by the finest Gunmakers the world has ever known-unlike the "tools" that are most modern guns. The only real advantage of my OU guns are the multi chokes that give far more versatility for any given situation but I also find that a nice quality SxS choked 1/4 and 1/2 ,or better still more open, will be effective 90% of the time. It might also be worth mentioning that shooting is not always about efficient killing (clays or game) and that many hours of pleasure are spent walking in the fields and enjoying the countryside-with a hundred year old gun over your arm,that you have restored back to its original condition, the pleasure is far greater. Very well put ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingman Posted January 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2016 Well let's see up early tomorrow and the weathers awful. See how I do with the old SxS!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshwarrior Posted January 3, 2016 Report Share Posted January 3, 2016 I use my 32" pistol gripped gun it's fixed choke full and 3/4 raised rib and is ideal for sporting clays maybe the chokes are a little tight for some birds but works very well. Ejector doesn't need that for clays but all the clay guns seem to these days. Oh yes 1800's Tolley box lock live pigeon gun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Bb Posted January 3, 2016 Report Share Posted January 3, 2016 I only shoot clays but love using my hammer gun on them. As long as I remember to cock the hammers there's a fair moderate chance I may hit something! No, not as high a score as with my O/U but heaps of fun and the enjoyment of shooting a little bit of British history. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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