Give and old girl a new home.

[ryle]

Upon reading some doom and gloom (but totally understandable) comments about gunsmiths 'cutting up old guns by the bucket load' and 'old guns that shops can't even give away', my question is.... is it possible to rescue some of these old girls? 

For example, im always on the lookout for an old side by side in left hand, or something old to experiment with bending the stock on that would otherwise be scrapped. It'd be nice to have a rummage around in one of these 'scrap piles' depending on where they may be.

The older I get, the more I like old stuff ha ha

[BobbyH]

It would be nice yeah, I much prefer the cheap and cheerful over the £2000 guns.

How do you go about it? Just into your local gunsmith and ask what’s in the scrap pile?

[islandgun]

11 minutes ago, ryle said:

Upon reading some doom and gloom (but totally understandable) comments about gunsmiths 'cutting up old guns by the bucket load' and 'old guns that shops can't even give away', my question is.... is it possible to rescue some of these old girls? 

For example, im always on the lookout for an old side by side in left hand, or something old to experiment with bending the stock on that would otherwise be scrapped. It'd be nice to have a rummage around in one of these 'scrap piles' depending on where they may be.

The older I get, the more I like old stuff ha ha

From what ive heard, contact Holts 

[marsh man]

Start off going into your local gun shop for advice and go on from there , you never know you might drop in lucky when you walk through the door .    MM

[ryle]

Some good advice there. 

It pains me to hear about such items going to waste.

[Minky]

I have just done this.  A few months ago I bought two single barrel 12g for £13 yep 13.  You buy one yer get one free from holts. one was an AyA cosmos that looked as if it had just been carried over someones arm and the other one was a Bridgwater arms sb 12G. Neither of them are financially great value but they are what they are and both are in like new condition.  The Bridgewater is an odd gun.  A bit odd in its way of operation.  One of those things that somehow missed its intended market.  Recently I rescued a very nice AyA #4 for myself and I bought a Laurona 20G boxlock ejector for one of the son in laws. It is a very sad situation that guns like these are being scrapped or exported.  There wasn't anything wrong with either of these guns and I dusted the first pair with the #4 which was a good start. The son in law took the Laurona to a pheasant and partridge driven day.  He was the only gun that was a sbs.  He had a super day and the other guns complimented him on his shooting. It's such a shame and it's part of out engineering history that is being discarded. Its about the same as scrapping all of the old steam engines etc etc. Yep I've got the Browning and the Berretas and I shoot well with them but it's more fun to salvage something condemned to the scrap bin.

Edit.  What I find exasperating is that people like our so called shooting organisations don't stand up for the general sport shooter. What they don't seem to get is that it's getting towards the point of collapse  what with all of the new hoops to jump through and the massive cost jumps in everything.  We are all getting older and there aren't many youngsters coming through. 

Edited 2 hours ago by Minky

[ryle]

"More fun to salvage something condemned to the scrap bin"

My exact thoughts. I also have modern guns for clays and game but do like the good old knockabout gun. When I hear of them piled up and ready for scrapping is when I think "Well, at least let me root through for some interesting pieces". I suppose im a bit of a skip rat ha ha

A trip to Holts may be worth the several hours driving then.

I'm going to try the advice of chatting to a local gunsmith or two, thats a good one. I wonder if the police have a stack for salvage?, although I bet its not worth thier time allowing someone in

[Minky]

19 minutes ago, ryle said:

 I wonder if the police have a stack for salvage?, although I bet its not worth thier time allowing someone in

There's no way that they would entertain the idea of you even looking at guns.  They wouldn't even talk to you about anything like this.  It is their mission to reduce guns in public ownership to ZERO.  NOT TO START HANDING GUNS OUT TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC.  

[ryle]

True, ah well... Still a waste :p

 

[marsh man]

49 minutes ago, Minky said:

I have just done this.  A few months ago I bought two single barrel 12g for £13 yep 13.  You buy one yer get one free from holts. one was an AyA cosmos that looked as if it had just been carried over someones arm and the other one was a Bridgwater arms sb 12G. Neither of them are financially great value but they are what they are and both are in like new condition.  The Bridgewater is an odd gun.  A bit odd in its way of operation.  One of those things that somehow missed its intended market.  Recently I rescued a very nice AyA #4 for myself and I bought a Laurona 20G boxlock ejector for one of the son in laws. It is a very sad situation that guns like these are being scrapped or exported.  There wasn't anything wrong with either of these guns and I dusted the first pair with the #4 which was a good start. The son in law took the Laurona to a pheasant and partridge driven day.  He was the only gun that was a sbs.  He had a super day and the other guns complimented him on his shooting. It's such a shame and it's part of out engineering history that is being discarded. Its about the same as scrapping all of the old steam engines etc etc. Yep I've got the Browning and the Berretas and I shoot well with them but it's more fun to salvage something condemned to the scrap bin.

Edit.  What I find exasperating is that people like our so called shooting organisations don't stand up for the general sport shooter. What they don't seem to get is that it's getting towards the point of collapse  what with all of the new hoops to jump through and the massive cost jumps in everything.  We are all getting older and there aren't many youngsters coming through. 

This must be going back a good 30 odd years ago , I went to John Bidwell's clay ground down in Suffolk with a small group of clay shooters from work , at the time I had a nice Webley and Scott side x side , I held my own and done as well if not better than the serious clay shooters , when we went in the clubhouse at the end for a cup of tea they were keen to see my gun as some of them had never seen a side by side let alone handle one, that was when s x s were still popular , I have never had anything else and will end my days with one , hopefully while using it  

[Velocette]

Delighted to hear that you are enjoying keeping these old guns going. It may mean little in the great scheme of things but the satisfaction of re-commissioning an older machine, whatever it is, is unbeatable. These things were made to use, then repair ,then use again. Keep the skills alive!!

[enfieldspares]

3 hours ago, ryle said:

Upon reading some doom and gloom (but totally understandable) comments about gunsmiths 'cutting up old guns by the bucket load' and 'old guns that shops can't even give away', my question is.... is it possible to rescue some of these old girls? 

For example, im always on the lookout for an old side by side in left hand, or something old to experiment with bending the stock on that would otherwise be scrapped. It'd be nice to have a rummage around in one of these 'scrap piles' depending on where they may be.

The older I get, the more I like old stuff ha ha

I am happy to give, free, this gun to anyone that wants it.

It is a 65mm chamber, 30" barrel Belgian non-ejector in 12 bore. It was my "wet weather" gun but in fact didn't get used as such as the syndicate I was in  at the time didn't shoot if the weather was so very wet that you'd need a "wet weather" gun. The gun is slightly loose on the face so at some time would need that attending to. 

Here are some pictures. Barrels are in good order. The woodwork is pleasing to the eye and it is a nice traditional side by side gun. Choke is 1/2 and 1/2. The triggers and stock are for a right handed shot. Length of pull I will measure tomorrow.

I am near J21 of the M1.

Edited 58 minutes ago by enfieldspares