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59 minutes ago, ehb102 said:

Found one at the Fenland but I didn't bring my licence. I can't find it, I wonder if my husband has put it carefully away so I can't go shopping.

Was that on the 'Country Store, Pampisford' stand by any chance ?

OB

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On 27/08/2018 at 15:43, Opossum said:

I inherited this from my Grandfather. It's a W H Tisdall non-ejector 20 bore. I was excited to put a couple of rounds through it but sadly it's very pitted and very loose on face so I removed the firing pins and springs.

It has a little history to it, such as one of the hammers being made by hand to replace the original, and there are notes in diaries/journals referring to a gun, possibly this one, going back pre-1900. It also came with a few paper/wax Eley cartridges containing number 5 shot.

I'd love to shoot one like it.

fLVwuZV.png

Please take great care as it looks as if the stock could be broken .

Either that or,  the hammer swivel is coming down below the lock plate , which could be a stretched swivel , a replacement that is too long or if the main spring has been replaced with one in which the bottom limb is an incorrect length .

There is a risk that if shooting you could have the wood under the lock break off . If you take the locks out to look ,  cock them first to avoid doing any further possible damage , then lower the hammer to see if the swivel and spring come down below the edge of the lock plate .

 

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On 28/08/2018 at 11:01, JohnfromUK said:

I would guess so.  I have only ever seen one used in the field.

There is an old chap I know who use to load on a Scottish estate back in the day, he told me about this gun and how he had the misfortune to end up loading for a Gentleman with a pair of Darnes still haunts him to this day.

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3 minutes ago, Esca said:

he told me about this gun and how he had the misfortune to end up loading for a Gentleman with a pair of Darnes still haunts him to this day.

It is quite easy for it to give a VERY painful pinch as you close it ....... if you are not careful.

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4 minutes ago, JohnfromUK said:

It is quite easy for it to give a VERY painful pinch as you close it ....... if you are not careful.

He hated it. Although as an engineer he admired the workmanship, to use his words 'completly impratical on a grouse more or any other driven shoot'

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1 minute ago, Esca said:

completely impractical on a grouse more or any other driven shoot

I would generally agree with that, though might be better 'double gunning' than as a single.  I think I have used mine on walked up grouse about 35 years ago once - because it is very light and nice to carry.  However the safety catch being on the side ....... and working backwards (forward for safe) is all rather off putting, ....... but very French.

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6 minutes ago, JohnfromUK said:

I would generally agree with that, though might be better 'double gunning' than as a single.  I think I have used mine on walked up grouse about 35 years ago once - because it is very light and nice to carry.  However the safety catch being on the side ....... and working backwards (forward for safe) is all rather off putting, ....... but very French.

I can relate to the use of the safety catch as it totally confuses me when borrowing my pal`s Darne.

John, please see my PM regards the Darne literature, all sadly in French I`m afraid, but yours if you want them.

OB

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2 hours ago, Esca said:

He hated it. Although as an engineer he admired the workmanship, to use his words 'completly impratical on a grouse more or any other driven shoot'

This^ I too think the engineering and workmanship is impressive....but the design is Impractical and they are..........operationally awkward!

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On 29/08/2018 at 09:32, ehb102 said:

We really liked it. My shooting chum won ladies, I'm so proud of her! Five years we've been doing that competition, shows we've come a long way. I am shopping for a new sxs now. Mine is lovely but doesn't really fit. Found one at the Fenland but I didn't bring my licence. I can't find it, I wonder if my husband has put it carefully away so I can't go shopping.

Well done! Not sure I saw you on the stands.Perhaps next time I'll ask for a special class for hammer guns, I FELT we had a bit of a disadvantage on the grouse/rabbit/pheasant stands. As they sent birds on the close of the gun, while I still had a hammer to cock!

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8 minutes ago, Sundodger said:

Just seen this thread, I have a Joseph Lang Side by Side 2 1/2" chambers, use it mostly on walked up Partridges these days.

Rules are, that now you've admitted to owning a side by side, you have to post a picture so that we can also admire it. :lol:

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10 hours ago, buze said:

Well done! Not sure I saw you on the stands.Perhaps next time I'll ask for a special class for hammer guns, I FELT we had a bit of a disadvantage on the grouse/rabbit/pheasant stands. As they sent birds on the close of the gun, while I still had a hammer to cock!

No, we didn't cross paths. 

The sequences were annoying. I don't shoot much gun down anyway and it's not something I was expecting to do with an ill-fitting gun. I have no problems with the birds, I can miss anything, but it didn't really work for us. 

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Here's my 1892 Greener Facile Princeps - ie "Easily First" or "Acknowledged Leader".

It's been in my hands since 1979. Fine bored, action rejointed, rebrowned (I suspect) by Powell's it was sent to auction. I have shot pheasants, partridges, hare, rabbits and pigeons with it and it has been carefully cleaned and oiled sparingly after each outing. You can see it was proofed at .740", and the bore measurements are the same as the day it left the proof house. Toward to muzzles you can see the elephant mark stamped on all Greener barrels.

 

IMG_1975.JPG.5d4119df0dda64c8fe9ea6fa4d215e50.JPG

 

Here's the action, this is a Grade F16. There were lots of different grades, from dead plain to exhibition standard. It has Greener's favoured side safety. The rounded action is extraordinarily comfortable. The grain on the stock is beginning to open a bit, and the chequering is all but worn out. I forgot to photograph the stock itself, it's a nice bit of timber.

 

IMG_1976.JPG.68365f90b491bc22db1026187613ca13.JPG

 

The action again, complete with elephant mark

 

IMG_1978.JPG.c6188c91e4a0eac458ea1d366e679b60.JPG

 

The gun is a non-ejector, meaning it opens and closes beautifully. The gun shows no sign of getting loose, and it closes with a wonderfully precise click without any binding or clanging. The browning is fading a little, but I have to say I prefer a lighter shade to the chocolate or deep red colours sometimes seen.

 

IMG_1979.JPG.2c272e5b5f54286ebdb70e347f3c9c2d.JPG

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One advantage these guns had over later deigns was that they had large lumps giving a greater surface area of bearing . Plus being a non ejector it does to need to gape as much when opening . As it has stood 2 reproofs from the original black powder proof its fair to say they dont make like they used to do .

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25 minutes ago, Lord v said:

Actually, looking at the marks - although it was sold as a 20g, I think it's actually a 16? 

If so I have a couple of boxes of carts to sell.... 😂 (28g, 5's)

Nice looking gun, if you bought it from a shop let us all know which one, so we do not go there :lol:

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It was from a shop, via RFD transfer so I only got my hands on it today. 

Given how cheap I got it, the amount of use it will likely see and the fact I wanted something different anyway I'm not horribly upset that it's a 16. 

Proof mark I believe is 1941/1942, so a nice bit of history. It's been well looked after as well. 

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One point to check is that if the RFD has failed to note it is a 16, not a 20, he may also not have noted that it was originally proved as a 17/1.  In order to still be in proof (which if it is in good order and has not been fine bored to remove pitting it very likely will be) it needs to conform to the correct bore diameter range for a 17/1 - not a 16.  I'm sorry, but I'm not familiar with the figures for a 16, but any seller or RFD should ensure that any gun sold is in proof - as to sell a gun that is out of proof is an offence.

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12 minutes ago, JohnfromUK said:

One point to check is that if the RFD has failed to note it is a 16, not a 20, he may also not have noted that it was originally proved as a 17/1.  In order to still be in proof (which if it is in good order and has not been fine bored to remove pitting it very likely will be) it needs to conform to the correct bore diameter range for a 17/1 - not a 16.  I'm sorry, but I'm not familiar with the figures for a 16, but any seller or RFD should ensure that any gun sold is in proof - as to sell a gun that is out of proof is an offence.

Good point. Just written to both. 

All I can find for 17/1 is .655 not that it helps me much as I have nothing to check it!

As the thickness is checked at the breech end one would hope the RFD would note the stamps.... 

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