Who Uses a Double Barrel

[Fishnfowler]

Am I the only doofus out there chasing birds with double barrels?  How about you fans of older guns, does anyone else chase waterfowl with something your Great-Grandfather could have carried?  I love the instant barrel/choke selection, and don't have trouble with two shots when reloading is so quick.  My go-to gun is a 1910 LC Smith, but I fool around with others at times.  Throw up some photos of your escapades, here are some of mine.

[quadrafire]

Fish
I have hunted with double o/u, but picked up a "cresent arms" 20ga last year at the gun show. I haven't even fired it yet.
Do you need 2 1/2 in shells in those older 20's??
I really like the feel of the that splinter fore end and the swing is very crisp.

[Badhabit]

I shoot a SKB 200 12 ga now and then for ducks. I also shoot my old Browning BSS 30" barrels 3" mag. I'll only shoot bismuth or tungsten thru the BSS as it's choked full and IM.

[whitey]

I shoot a Ruger Red Label Stainless All Weather. Love it.

[huntingfool7]

Almost always carry two barrels.  Ruger Red or Ruger Gold. 

[Skillet]

Going to see if I can get this gun into shooting shape somehow to use with low pressure BP or nitro shells.   Early 1900's Syracuse Arms Damascus barreled 12 bore.  Pic of Great Grandpa Alvin with it in 1939, Remer, MN. 



Looking for ideas on barrel lining, or slipping a 20guage liner into the 12 bore, etc, if anybody's got them.  Yes, I know about the dangers of Damascus, but there are a lot of people shooting them and I'm perfectly willing to spend a reasonable amount of money to get the gun into shape for shooting 2-1/2" BP load if that's all I can do.

[CP]

Sometimes - both old and newer:

[Fishnfowler]

Going to see if I can get this gun into shooting shape somehow to use with low pressure BP or nitro shells.   Early 1900's Syracuse Arms Damascus barreled 12 bore.  Pic of Great Grandpa Alvin with it in 1939, Remer, MN. 



Looking for ideas on barrel lining, or slipping a 20guage liner into the 12 bore, etc, if anybody's got them.  Yes, I know about the dangers of Damascus, but there are a lot of people shooting them and I'm perfectly willing to spend a reasonable amount of money to get the gun into shape for shooting 2-1/2" BP load if that's all I can do.

Alvin was a stud.  I'm shooting low-pressure reloads through mine.  I hope you get that gun afield.  I'd bet it has 2-3/4" chambers, you should check it. 

[AntlerHound]

Inherited this 10 gauge double Mercury magnum from my great uncle...thing is a bad mamberjamber...perfect for cleaning up the woundies on big water

[CP]

Going to see if I can get this gun into shooting shape somehow to use with low pressure BP or nitro shells.   Early 1900's Syracuse Arms Damascus barreled 12 bore.  Pic of Great Grandpa Alvin with it in 1939, Remer, MN. 



Looking for ideas on barrel lining, or slipping a 20guage liner into the 12 bore, etc, if anybody's got them.  Yes, I know about the dangers of Damascus, but there are a lot of people shooting them and I'm perfectly willing to spend a reasonable amount of money to get the gun into shape for shooting 2-1/2" BP load if that's all I can do.

Alvin was a stud.  I'm shooting low-pressure reloads through mine.  I hope you get that gun afield.  I'd bet it has 2-3/4" chambers, you should check it.

Probably 2 5/8” – that was most common prior to the 1920s.   Which is close enough to today’s standard (2 ¾”) not to worry about. 

I shoot low pressure 2 ¾” handloads in my 1914 Fox – but it isn’t Damascus –

Be careful!

[Skillet]

Copy that.  I've read quite a bit about the damascus barrels... you just never know how good they will do.  I bet this gun hasn't been shot in 60 years, but has been kept in a dry closet in arid eastern WA since it came out from MN. 

Looks like when guys want to break out grandpa's old damascus, they shoot high pressure loads through them with the gun strapped to a tire and strings on the trigger to "proof" them, then only shoot lower pressure loads through after that.  I'd like to sonic test the barrels, or line them instead, but if that's how they do it and nobody's lost a hand... I believe it was Double Gun Journal did an extensive test on old Damascus barrels in good shape, and none of them blew up.

What model is that Fox? 

[ing]

16 gauge Winchester Model 24 and a 12 gauge Ruger Red Label All Weather stainless.

[CP]

Copy that.  I've read quite a bit about the damascus barrels... you just never know how good they will do.  I bet this gun hasn't been shot in 60 years, but has been kept in a dry closet in arid eastern WA since it came out from MN. 

Looks like when guys want to break out grandpa's old damascus, they shoot high pressure loads through them with the gun strapped to a tire and strings on the trigger to "proof" them, then only shoot lower pressure loads through after that.  I'd like to sonic test the barrels, or line them instead, but if that's how they do it and nobody's lost a hand... I believe it was Double Gun Journal did an extensive test on old Damascus barrels in good shape, and none of them blew up.

What model is that Fox?

The Fox is a Sterlingworth with 30” Krupp fluid steel barrels -  2 5/8” chamber


My Dad shot a Damascus SxS for years (don’t remember what model) until the barrel started to unravel at the muzzle – kind of like the cardboard tube in the middle of toilet paper roll.  He gave it to my Brother-in-law and he had it sawed off and nickel plated and as far as I know it is still operational.

[quadrafire]

CP
Does the fox say 2 5/8, or did you measure that somehow?  My Crescent arms 20 doesn't say, and I have been hesitant to shoot 2 3/4 in it. If memory serves me, i'm thinking 1930 ish

[CP]

CP
Does the fox say 2 5/8, or did you measure that somehow?  My Crescent arms 20 doesn't say, and I have been hesitant to shoot 2 3/4 in it. If memory serves me, i'm thinking 1930 ish

There are no marking on the Fox as to chamber size or choke, I’ve measured both and the findings are consistent with my research on the gun – 2 5/8” choked full/full.