doble barreled flint shotgun

[Hawken12]

anyone hereabout heard anything good 'bout Middlesex Village Trading Companie ,they are offerin numerous arms ,smoothbores ,besses an the like.They have them made in India,I know conjures up tigers an punjabi's when I read it,says hand forged ,like the video I saw of them AK47 's I saw bein beat outta a piece o steel ,in a bazaar,says hardened frizzens an all the rite stuff,cept the wood is teak,not Walnut as they have no access to such kind ,looked at the double bore(62 cal )with a rear site no less,for shootin tigers maybe???.
I'm thinkin the locks are backwards tho,spreading out to the front,not in???
Looks funny ,any insites to the site???
Thanks Peter
hope this is the link...Middlesex Village Trading

 

[k.jacobfrost]

I can't really help you your question on there quality but your link didn't quite work out so here it is Double Barrel Flintlock.

I am hoping there stuff isn't junk. I have been eying there New England Fowler for a while.

Frost

 

[Hawken12]

Thanks Frosty,yer link is better than mine ,friend o' mine built a doublebarrel flinter an I'm sure he had the locks set off to the back,not the way they have theirs shown,so makes me suspect as to the authenticity,of their goods,prices seem nice tho,and we is in the third world so who knows

 

[mazo kid]

I can't answer as to quality as there has been a continuing debate here about Indian made guns. The price is definitely right and I know there has been a lot of input to the makers as to what is wanted in such an arm. Hopefully they have incorporated the info returned to them into the making of a double flintlock smooth bore. It looks very interesting, but don't know about the front =splayed locks?? Emery

 

[paulvallandigham]

This looks like the gun that a man who lives in S. Africa showed on this forum about a year and a half ago, and was trying to get made at prices he could afford. I don't know that he is involved, but he posted several notes here asking for opinions, about everything from gauge, to price, to length of pull and other stock dimensions, and desireability of having the barrels choked. I wish I could remember his handle. Perhaps someone else's memory will be better than my own.

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

That was Christiaan, but I believe he was trying to negotiate with Pedersoli to have them build a flintlock double.

 

[Harddog]

I'm thinkin the locks are backwards tho,spreading out to the front,not in???
Looks funny ,any insites to the site???
Thanks Peter

Peter,

The locks flare out at the front of the locks to allow for a smaller wrist. If the locks flared out at the back or were straight with the barrel the transition from the tang area to the wrist would be very large and produce a very large diameter wrist.

This is nothing new, the original Hawken rifles were made so the locks flared out at the front rather than at the rear.

Randy Hedden

 

[F.G. Ford]

Hey Frost,
I don't think the quality comes even close to a Pedersoli double, even though the Pedersoli is not flint.
Even the lowly CVA double seems better.
I realize that the Middlesex double is a pre-production example, and it is in a polished metal finish.
For $700, I would hold for something better.
Old Ford

 

[Mike Brooks]

Looks like a typical Indian POS. Buy American. You may have to wait to get an american gun and pay $3000 for it but at least you won't have to always worry about blowing your head off. To be honest, I wouldn't be caught in public with that gun. :barf:

 

[robinghewitt]

I don't know, if you crisped up the edges they've polished out, tastefully engraved it, browned it and removed the weird backsight it could look okay. OTOH if it's been plated there is no hope, it will always look like a bathroom fitting :thumbsup:

 

[Captain outwater]

the quality is certainly less than, say, Pedersoli. Some have problems with the wood being brittle, or with the locks. However, Middlesex has a good reputation for customer service.
One of the men in my unit has a NE fowler. It works very well indeed, and seems well built too. Just remember it is really long, standing about 5 foot 6 inches or more tall. It is well balanced though.

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

Robin, somehow comparing it to a bathroom fitting seems very appropriate. :rotf:

 

[talon]

Well,the saying "you get what you pay for" comes to mind.

 

[Hawken12]

how bout North American,altho not too many builders up ,here.
I have an indian bess,nicely fitted,but the locks a piece o junk,actually I got an American rebuilding it.Its givin him fits too, as I think they drilled it by hand or just careless.the fit of the lock to the stock ,is why I sent it out to be rebuilt properly,as the lockplate is an oddball size.and I didn't think I could get another lock that would drop in without adding or removing wood.
I saw this site and wondered if maybe they got it rite this time.Since there is lotsa experience ,both good an bad.Had to ask the question I'm thinkin I'll stick close to home

 

[TANSTAAFL]

I will withhold judgment for now and wait for the marketplace reviews. But I am always jaundiced about betting on first horse out the gate.

 

[TANSTAAFL]

the quality is certainly less than, say, Pedersoli. Some have problems with the wood being brittle, or with the locks. However, Middlesex has a good reputation for customer service.
One of the men in my unit has a NE fowler. It works very well indeed, and seems well built too. Just remember it is really long, standing about 5 foot 6 inches or more tall. It is well balanced though.

Pedersoli's can often be akin to Forrest Gump's box of chocolates.

Several years back I clunked down over $1300.00 for one of Pedersoli's Mortimer rifles with an interchangeable 12 gauge barrel. The money I clunked down, got me a real clunker, it was the sorriest POS I ever beheld. The list of faults was endless, took two top notch gunsmith's inspections and their written comments, several irate emails (some directly with Pedersoli himself) and more than a little frustration to get my money back. I wish all well whom are satisfied with their Pedersoli purchases, but I for one am foresworn off them for good.