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Showing results for 'Darne'.
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That looks like a high quantity Darne. All the Darnes that I’ve seen (and shot a couple) have had sunken ribs. Brilliant engineering but slow to reload. Built, I think, for the French walked up shooting and being light were ideal for that. OB
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In over 60 years of shooting I have never seen much less handled a Darne gun. I know Gough Thomas rated them highly.
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A chap I have done work for, his Darne which is a 16 bore Chris, he has more money than sense and arms like a gorilla, had it re- stocked so it would fit him. It handles really well now, needless to say I did the case for it
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I can relate to your comment regards the recoil from a Darne. Super light for the French walked up style of shooting, but at the detriment of excessive recoil. Also, due to their construction (Screw going back from the action into the stock) virtually impossible to put cast on or off to the stock. I`ve shot my pal`s Darne and along with the recoil, found the reloading an absolute pain. Just my opinion, but he loves it. OB
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Try shooting a Darne - then you will know! To be honest, you mainly notice it IF the gun is a poor fit.
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Thank you, qs said, the owner is taking the colection to a local valuation day - He's just found a sliding breech (as per Darne) pin fire shotgun with two boxes of pinfire cartridges ready for reoading!
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I don't really know anything about him, but the book - whilst enjoyable and in many ways excellent (well illustrated, comprehensive and with a wealth of data) is not easy to use as a reference resource. Unfortunately, very few books on guns are. I am fortunate to have a reasonable 'library' of shooting books, biased towards shotguns and gunmakers and mostly British, though I do have a few books on the Continental makers whose products I have (Beretta, Darne and Merkel). Most of the 'serious' gun books are expensive as they are printed in small numbers, and unless they are reprinted, can become hard (and consequently expensive) to obtain.
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Darne used a monoblock (called I believe "canon frettes") from their early days - which would have been pre WW1 I think? It has certainly been around a long time.
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Most guns use a rod between the opening lever and safety. As the lever is operated the safety is pushed back (to safe). To disable the auto safe, remove the rod. Personally I have had all my guns that weren't auto safe (apart from a Darne for which auto safety is difficult - if not impossible?) converted to auto safe. My hammer guns don't have a safety catch, but that is a different issue as they were never originally fitted to hammer guns. It is there for a purpose: not to be used to enable the gun to be pointed anywhere safely, but as a measure to stop the trigger being accidentally pulled. I simply slide the safety forward as I mount the gun. Nothing could be simpler. The reason I have had it added (to two guns) is that sliding the safety forward becomes an instinctive part of the gun mount and I miss it if it isn't there.
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21g in a 7 lb gun should not kick badly. My best guess is as I use everything from 21g to 30g, occasionally 32g in s/s under 7 lbs and only ever have a problem in one gun (a very light Darne that doesn't fit well and does kick), and I'm a relative scrawny lightweight myself! I have regularly used 32g in an AyA at 6 3/4 lbs, no recoil pad (don't like them) with no troubles even in a light summer shirt.
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It is true that there will be very little headspace, however; is also I believe true. The main reason (in my opinion) that the Darne does have (a reputation for) high recoil is that they are typically very light, but capable of shooting high loads (French triple proof) and the very light barrels do tend to cause an upward 'flip' movement, which I think may increase the perceived recoil.
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With regard to the Darne kicking excessively, could it be that the sliding breech gives no, or very little, head space between it and the cartridge and therefore recoil is felt more. Just a thought. OB
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Apparently in France driven shooting is now on the increase whereas previously walked up was the more popular and accounts for the light weight of their guns - Darne and Chapuis for example.
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The Darne is probably best left with the French ! 🤣
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Ah yes, the Darne. To me it became more of a Darn gun ! Had a few problems with it and struggled to find a gunsmith to even look at it, when one did, I faced a bill of over £300 ? I saw my previous FEO shooting locally, just after his retirement. He was using a Darne !
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One of my previous FEOs was the similar - in that he used to attend local shooting events etc. He came to check my cabinet and was unsure how to operate my Darne - and asked me to show him. He will be retired now I expect (the event was maybe 30 years ago), but I doubt he came across another Darne!
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The Darne is another example of this. It is light (my 12 weights around 6 lbs, but 16's are also common and are lighter) - but the weight is also very centralised. This has been done by; Short(ish) barrels, typically 27" and only a single rib (no lower rib) No separate forend (like a muzzle loader) Most weight is in the central sliding breech assembly The stock tends to be on the slim side compared to most s/s guns When picked up 'in the shop', the Darne feels lightning fast compared to most s/s guns. It is lovely to carry on the arm. The downside is that (and mine fits me reasonably well) it does kick, but also has noticeable barrel 'upward flip'. I bought mine more out of interest (it was used and slightly 'abused' and was not expensive at all at the time) about 40 years ago and had it tidied up and 'fitted' in as much as is possible with a Darne (the way the stock is fitted means that once 'made', the 'hand' area cannot be bent). My personal preference for weight (on a s/s) is around 6lbs 8 oz to 6 lbs 12 oz. This is based on having owned several s/s and that just seems to feel 'right' for me. Interestingly, one English gun I have at 6 lb 12oz feels as light or lighter than another (Spanish) gun that is 4 oz lighter. Both are nice to use.
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Much depends on how the weight is distributed. `For example, my Henry Atkin feels as light or lighter than the AyA, but the scales have it as an ounce heavier. The Darne feels VERY light as the barrels have no lower rib. There was an interesting article by Bill Harriman) on the Thomas Turner featherweight 12's that weighed 5 lbs 9 oz, but the ultralights of the period were apparently made right down to under 4 lbs (William Ford Eclipse model). Article is in the Nov/Dec 2022 BASC magazine.
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I do have a couple of very light guns (Wm Powell sidelock (6 lbs 4 oz) and Darne (6 lbs)) and my most recent grouse walking was done with my AyA No 1 (6 lbs 10 oz). i think my favoured weight these days is 6 1/2 to 6 3/4 lb with 28" barrels.
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Its a very old topic is snapcaps - and views on both sides. Personally I'm with @arjimlad in the camp, but having had 3 mainsprings break (3 different guns) in the last 5 years has made me wonder ......... The only double barrelled shotgun I can think of where the manufacturers state no need for snapcaps is the Darne - where the firing mechanism is more like a bolt action type anyway.
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My guns have been bought typically with 2 reasons; First (and foremost) because I like them - and that may be for all sorts of reasons including 'quirky' design (I Have a Darne!) Second - they either fit me (or can be altered with relative ease to fit me. What have I 'added/changed' (other than repairs)? Well, I have removed two rubber 'recoil pads' and replaced with buffalo horn. - I hate rubber pads which always seem to snag on my clothing unless leather covered. I have had one 'wood' extension where about an additional inch was needed. I have removed an old ebonite extension and refinished (chequered butt) remaining stock to correct length. I have had the usual fitting (length, bend, cast, stock rear angle) 'tweaked'. I have never added (or removed) weight, multi chokes (except buying an extra tube for my only non fixed gun). I have had one fixed choke gun that was half and full opened to 1/4 and 1/2. I have had the triggers adjusted (several guns), and I have converted two manual safety guns to automatic (because that is what I'm used to).
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Hello all, Strange one for everyone, besides krieghoff, valmet, tikka, marocchi and a darne damon-petrick Can anyone think of any other manufacturers and or models that utilise the sliding top latch locking system ? Many thanks
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Sliding breech gun Darne & ZF (Darne lookalike)
Stour-boy replied to Old Boggy's topic in Guns & Equipment
Hi gents, I am hoping I may have found the problem, the tips of the firing pins on both guns when viewed under a magnifying glass looked like the Himalayas, rough as a badgers backside and I think that the problem was that the primer was being pierced, soo I haves very gently burnished the sharp edges making them a lot smoother. Will let you know how I get on. By the way, As the Darne and the Z.F have sliding breeches there is no requirement for a rebound spring. Thanks for your input gents I hope I am right🤞 S.B. -
Sliding breech gun Darne & ZF (Darne lookalike)
Old Boggy replied to Old Boggy's topic in Guns & Equipment
I now attach a couple of photos of the Darne, ZF and the cartridges. As rightly said above by Dave and Enfieldspares, doing anything with the firing pins would appear not to be an option. Did I read somewhere that some Eley cases were now made in Italy? OB -
Sliding breech gun Darne & ZF (Darne lookalike)
JohnfromUK replied to Old Boggy's topic in Guns & Equipment
I can't recall ever having had that problem with my Darne (12 bore). In fact the Darne has been very reliable (though it is very lightly used). I have had that problem with certain cartridges (one was Impax but a long time ago with a Powell gun) and some guns (a Beretta needed attention for doing that on the lower barrel only and an AyA Yeoman I once had did it). I would never file metal away except as a very last resort. It cannot be put back and Darne spares will not be easy. If it is only one make of cartridge - you may have a batch with soft primers. Be aware that the 'soot' may be slightly corrosive. Primers do vary - and one make of cartridge I bought misfired (about 5% of shots) in 3 guns I have (all the same make) and yet work 100% fine in all other makes tried! Gunsmith reckoned the primers were set very low on those cartridges (there was a significant gap between straight edge laid across the head and the primer).
