Johann Fanzoj

[reindeer]

Another gun by Hofer, more traditionally decorated. Whether you like his guns or not, his accomplishments as a traditional gunmaker are of the highest level. 

 

Edited December 25, 2020 by reindeer

[TIGHTCHOKE]

Now that's better!

[welshwarrior]

32 minutes ago, reindeer said:

Another gun by Hofer, more traditionally decorated. Whether you like his guns or not, his accomplishments as a traditional gunmaker are of the highest level. 

 

That’s miles better he’s missed a trigger off though 🤫

[243deer]

beautiful guns but beyond my pay grade. Good that some folk can afford them and keep the skills alive. 

[Scully]

1 hour ago, welshwarrior said:

That’s miles better he’s missed a trigger off though 🤫

🙂Trigger looks fine to me, but action still over embellished. 

[WalkedUp]

11 hours ago, reindeer said:

Another gun by Hofer, more traditionally decorated. Whether you like his guns or not, his accomplishments as a traditional gunmaker are of the highest level. 

 

Still too decorative for my taste. I appreciate game scenes are traditional but I prefer my guns without any colouring in or drawings. 

[welshwarrior]

10 hours ago, Scully said:

🙂Trigger looks fine to me, but action still over embellished. 

Prefer a SBS to have 2 triggers with a straight hand stock, the game scene is much nicer that the gold and green thing, but still a little ott for me. 

I still think this is one of the nicest I’ve shot and no hiding errors. 
 

 

[WalkedUp]

The Damascus side plate gives me a moire visual disturbance. I’ve attached this for comparison. The only decoration should be age! 

Edited December 26, 2020 by WalkedUp

[reindeer]

I agree with age, very nice patina! Not too many guns become of age though and remain untouched like this beautiful example.

[WalkedUp]

22 minutes ago, reindeer said:

I agree with age, very nice patina! Not too many guns become of age though and remain untouched like this beautiful example.

👍

[London Best]

Yep, proper job.

[Scully]

2 hours ago, welshwarrior said:

Prefer a SBS to have 2 triggers with a straight hand stock, the game scene is much nicer that the gold and green thing, but still a little ott for me. 

I still think this is one of the nicest I’ve shot and no hiding errors. 
 

 

Must admit I like a nice bit of Damascus, but not sure if that’s too much for my tastes on that sidelock. 
I very much like colour case hardening also, but two triggers is one too many for me; I just find it a bit of a palaver, possibly because I’ve been shooting a single for so long. 
Of the guns Winston Churchill had made, he had them made with single triggers. I wasn’t aware the practise went back that far, but it goes way back. 

[welshwarrior]

1 hour ago, WalkedUp said:

The Damascus side plate gives me a moire visual disturbance. I’ve attached this for comparison. The only decoration should be age! 

That’s a beautiful old gun but can as you rightly say be done new is not possible 

[welshwarrior]

8 minutes ago, Scully said:

Must admit I like a nice bit of Damascus, but not sure if that’s too much for my tastes on that sidelock. 
I very much like colour case hardening also, but two triggers is one too many for me; I just find it a bit of a palaver, possibly because I’ve been shooting a single for so long. 
Of the guns Winston Churchill had made, he had them made with single triggers. I wasn’t aware the practise went back that far, but it goes way back. 

I grow up with double triggers and can still switch back on a straight hand sbs quite easily.  
 

I agree on the colour case and want to get my kemens done this year as a little embellishment over the plain black action.  
 

The Purdey dose not look as obvious in the flesh. 

[button]

19 hours ago, Dave at kelton said:

I will but it may be a wee while with the lockdown. Will go on SxS forum

👍

[London Best]

1 hour ago, welshwarrior said:

I grow up with double triggers and can still switch back on a straight hand sbs quite easily.  
 

I agree on the colour case and want to get my kemens done this year as a little embellishment over the plain black action.  
 

The Purdey dose not look as obvious in the flesh. 

My experience is that most who learned on double triggers can usually switch to single trigger easily enough, but most who learned on single trigger guns often struggle with double triggers and many of them never (persist long enough to) master it.

I always think a plain black action looks, well just plain wrong.

I do very much like the Purdey “Standard Fine” rose and scroll. So subtle and understated.

[Dave at kelton]

30 minutes ago, London Best said:

My experience is that most who learned on double triggers can usually switch to single trigger easily enough, but most who learned on single trigger guns often struggle with double triggers and many of them never (persist long enough to) master it.

I always think a plain black action looks, well just plain wrong.

I do very much like the Purdey “Standard Fine” rose and scroll. So subtle and understated.

👍

[Scully]

1 hour ago, London Best said:

My experience is that most who learned on double triggers can usually switch to single trigger easily enough, but most who learned on single trigger guns often struggle with double triggers and many of them never (persist long enough to) master it.

I always think a plain black action looks, well just plain wrong.

I do very much like the Purdey “Standard Fine” rose and scroll. So subtle and understated.

I think you’re probably right, but I wouldn’t persist with double triggers on an OU either ,as I’m just not a fan. I like a good heavy gun for game shooting, and sxs’s are far too light for me. 

I’d add that I much prefer box locks to side locks; although the latter look fine on a sxs, they just look wrong on an OU. Given the choice I’d have a box lock in either guise. 
I was talking to a very nice lady on the BASC stand at Lowther Show a few years ago, where Longthorne Guns had a pitch; she told me they had plans to produce a box lock due to several enquiries. Whether they ever did, or just as a bespoke piece I don’t know. 

[WalkedUp]

This has drifted a bit (I started the rot) and so if it isn’t too off topic, I prefer:

In OU a box lock with pistol grip and single trigger. Manual safety. Light scrollwork etc not too objectionable. 

In SxS a sidelock, case hardened, straight stock, double trigger, automatic safety.

In semi-auto and rifle, synthetic stock. Black or ceracoated matte khaki. 

[JohnfromUK]

52 minutes ago, Scully said:

I’d add that I much prefer box locks to side locks; although the latter look fine on a sxs, they just look wrong on an OU. Given the choice I’d have a box lock in either guise. 

Strangely, I am the opposite!

My only s/s boxlock is a little AyA 0.410. 

I do have a 'boxlock' (strictly trigger plate) o/u ......... but it is sideplated - and my other o/us are all full sidelocks.  No good reason - just always liked the idea.

Back on engraving - there are several books specifically covering engraving - including a very fine one by Abiattico and Salvinelli (who also made guns as Famars).

[Scully]

16 minutes ago, JohnfromUK said:

Strangely, I am the opposite!

My only s/s boxlock is a little AyA 0.410. 

I do have a 'boxlock' (strictly trigger plate) o/u ......... but it is sideplated - and my other o/us are all full sidelocks.  No good reason - just always liked the idea.

Back on engraving - there are several books specifically covering engraving - including a very fine one by Abiattico and Salvinelli (who also made guns as Famars).

I have quite a collection of gun books, with many examples of engraving, and as I’ve said, whilst being able to appreciate the skill, it just isn’t my thing.

The Americans seem to like overly embellished decoration, and some examples are simply utterly utterly awful, seemingly being incapable of leaving any surface plain, even to the extent of ‘church window’ checkering to the stock behind the action of box locks. 
I in have turned down more than one 101 because of this latter embellishment. 

[JohnfromUK]

24 minutes ago, Scully said:

I have quite a collection of gun books, with many examples of engraving,

You may well have the books I was thinking of.  I have been and checked and the three specifically on engraving are;

• Modern Firearms Engraving by Mario Abbiatico
• Gun Engraving by Christoper Brunker
• British Gun Engraving by Douglas Tate

I am not a great fan of fancy engraving - in particular, I don't like game scenes or hunting scenes ........ but I do quite like both fine (sometimes known as Purdey style) scroll, and also the deeper and heavier 'Holland and Holland' style of scroll.  Any gold work (other than the word SAFE' or a discreet number on matched guns) is also 'over the top' for me, especially gold triggers!

[reindeer]

If I wanted to spend serious money on a gun I would probably buy an over/under round action by David McKay Brown.

A Boxall and Edmiston round action would also be nice and for half that money but sadly they are out of business.

Longthorn is another maker I admire but they make no round action.

 

Edited December 26, 2020 by reindeer

[WalkedUp]

I was sure I’d seen a Longthorne round action... only released last year. Can’t be many about!

[WalkedUp]

I think the David McKay Brown is nicer though even if the stock is a little too heavy in shape and grain.