Just ran across a 14 gauge english double percussion gun on gunbroker.The pictures and description sound good, seller describes bores as having some dark areas but no pitting. I understand a lot of the old doubles have unseen problems in the breech areas. Any opinions or experiences on buying used doubles?
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14 gauge double
- Thread starter twhrider2
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You can shine a light down the bores and get an idea, but the only sure way I know is to unbreach it and than look in from the back. I'm in the same state as you, I just bought a Middleton double percussion that looks fantastic on the outside, but who knows what it looks like on the inside. For sure the safest approach is to put it in the cabinet and not shoot it, but if you want to risk it take the barrels from the stock and fire a proof load in each barrel, than examine afterwords and see what you have. You probably will want to change the nipples in any event, Track offers nipples that should fit these older guns, or they can be retapped to a modern size.
robinghewitt
62 Cal.
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I have a lot of old doubles, can't say I've ever had trouble in the breech area. OTOH, they are a darned sight easier to clean if the bore isn't pitted :thumbsup:
Mike Brooks
Cannon
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If it looks good on the outside and the ribs havn't lifted and the whole gun is solid, I'd shoot it. I'm not suggesting you do the same thing, only what I'd do. I lot of people get REAL paranoid about these old doubles. I don't worry as much about them I guess.
Here's the oldest one I shoot. Bilby Hyde & Co. ca. 1815 give or take 5 years or so. It's an 18 bore and was percussion when I got it. It's now been converted back to flint. It's taken a fair number of pheasants and ground alot of clays into dust.
I have a couple more flint doubles that are still percussion that will eventually be converted back to flint. A Hebry Nock and a Swallow. Both are 20 bores.
I have a very early hammer cartridge gun by John Venables & Sons that started out life as a pin fire and was converted to centerfire. Probably made in the mid 1860's. Shoots great.
Nothing wrong with old doubles in my opinion.
OOPPPSS forgot to attatch the Bilby gun pictures. :yakyak:
Here's the oldest one I shoot. Bilby Hyde & Co. ca. 1815 give or take 5 years or so. It's an 18 bore and was percussion when I got it. It's now been converted back to flint. It's taken a fair number of pheasants and ground alot of clays into dust.
I have a couple more flint doubles that are still percussion that will eventually be converted back to flint. A Hebry Nock and a Swallow. Both are 20 bores.
I have a very early hammer cartridge gun by John Venables & Sons that started out life as a pin fire and was converted to centerfire. Probably made in the mid 1860's. Shoots great.
Nothing wrong with old doubles in my opinion.
OOPPPSS forgot to attatch the Bilby gun pictures. :yakyak:
