Over the years I have switched to vintage SXS shotgun for hunting and some sporting clays.I plan on shooting some black powder loads when I find a forarm for a Damascus 12 ga Charles Daly made in the 1860's. I plan to duck hunt with it. I have been blessed with a nice collection of shotguns over the 45 years I have been shooting. I now only hunt with vintage shotguns SXS some sub gauge and some hammer guns. I have to add that most of these guns were at bargain basement prices as I was looking for shooters in good working order not collector guns. Here is my latest find a 1948 Belleri 20 ga I do shoot modern ammo in these guns as they have steel barrels and I reload so I can customize the shells to shoot light loads to reduce stress on the wood as some guns are over 100 years old. I shoot a fair amount of sporting clays because they built a wonderful clays club 15 minutes from my front door. I use my o/u guns most of the time but always take a SXS also to get some practice with sxs also. Best of both worlds last time I hunted I used a Fox sterling worth for doves.
Hunting with vintage shotguns the good old days
OLD ONE EYE
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Over the years I have switched to vintage SXS shotgun for hunting and some sporting clays.I plan on shooting some black powder loads when I find a forarm for a Damascus 12 ga Charles Daly made in the 1860's. I plan to duck hunt with it. I have been blessed with a nice collection of shotguns over the 45 years I have been shooting. I now only hunt with vintage shotguns SXS some sub gauge and some hammer guns. I have to add that most of these guns were at bargain basement prices as I was looking for shooters in good working order not collector guns. Here is my latest find a 1948 Belleri 20 ga I do shoot modern ammo in these guns as they have steel barrels and I reload so I can customize the shells to shoot light loads to reduce stress on the wood as some guns are over 100 years old. I shoot a fair amount of sporting clays because they built a wonderful clays club 15 minutes from my front door. I use my o/u guns most of the time but always take a SXS also to get some practice with sxs also. Best of both worlds last time I hunted I used a Fox sterling worth for doves.
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I’m a certified vintage double gun nut ! I Shoot SC with a 1918 LC Smith and a 1944 JP Sauer 16 gauge which is also my main grouse gun. I just picked up a gorgeous 1891 Lefever F grade. The barrels were cut to 26” so it’s cyl/cyl which will be an awesome grouse gun. It weighs 6lbs 9 oz’s.
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I'm new to shotgun activities, getting kinda/sorta OK at skeet, passable at trap 16 yard line, can't hit anything on the 5 stand field, etc.
Nowhere near good enough to hunt(yet) I would likely hit them with a single pellet to die a slow death.
Anyway, enough with the modesty stuff.
I'm developing a bit of a fascination for side by sides and the "look" of double trigger hammer guns.
Question is; How can you be SURE that a 100 or so year old barrel (& chamber) will be able to take modern ammunition ?
I'm not asking about the heavy hunting loads, just the low speed 1 oz target loads.
I know scuba tanks are hydro tested, is there a similar non destructive test for chambers & barrels ? {Other than eyeballing it}
I specify non destructive because ...well, blowing it up disqualifies it as even a wall hanger.
Nowhere near good enough to hunt(yet) I would likely hit them with a single pellet to die a slow death.
Anyway, enough with the modesty stuff.
I'm developing a bit of a fascination for side by sides and the "look" of double trigger hammer guns.
Question is; How can you be SURE that a 100 or so year old barrel (& chamber) will be able to take modern ammunition ?
I'm not asking about the heavy hunting loads, just the low speed 1 oz target loads.
I know scuba tanks are hydro tested, is there a similar non destructive test for chambers & barrels ? {Other than eyeballing it}
I specify non destructive because ...well, blowing it up disqualifies it as even a wall hanger.
I have my grandfathers Lefever SxS 12 ga. Also my dads Remington 11-48 16 ga. Have not shot either since I was a kid. Now that I am a kid at heart the thing that is engrained in my mind is the smell of fired paper shotshells on a dewy morning as the sun comes up. Love the old guns.
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Well if you’re new to vintage guns definately have them checked out by a gunsmith, and not one that just sets up newer AR type guns. You want a guy that knows doubles, especially with f it’s a Damascus gun. If you want a Damascus gun checked out get in touch with Kurt Merrington in TX. He’s an expert on them as well as any vintage double gun. These old guns really get under your skin. I just can’t get enough of it.
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You can shoot tungsten or bismuth I believe, or just get the hell out of California. I guess they’d rather see hunters cripple more wildlife. I can’t see how such a beautiful and mountainous place filled with wildlife can be run by mindless know-nothings in the city’s along the coast. Here in Jersey it’s almost as bad though, almost.
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Make sure you check the chamber length on vintage shotguns. It's not just the barrel type that can cause problems. Midway has brass shotgun hulls that will work in 2 1/2" chambers. Circle fly wads has wads for loading black powder or synthetic black powder.
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There’s more to worry about than just the barrels and chambers. Even if they’re steel barrels you still have 100 year old wood that can crack, espeially if the stock is lose. Wood shrinks over time and though it doesn’t feel lose there can be play in it and it will crack at that point. You can get the proper ammo from RST ammo. As another poster said, be sure you know what your chamber length is.
The greatest of all American doubles, the Winchester M-21, still serves today as well as it ever has for Trap, Skeet, Sporting and field use. Just select the correctly configured M-21 and you will never be outclassed by any current production shotgun.
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This is one of my favorite vintage guns. It’s an 1891 Lefever F grade 12 gauge. It’s one of my grouse guns weighing 6lbs 9 oz. At some point the barrels were cut to 26” but it actually shoots a nice pattern at 30 yards. She’s a grouse killer for sure, and looks great doing it.
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