Here's a 16ga hammer gun gun I picked up in rough shape, and I decided to make it my show gun for gun shows, at the range, and in the field (I beautify and refinish/repair guns for a living in Tacoma. You can see more of my work at
www.marklarsongunart.com) . It was made by Antoine Marechal, a Belgian maker, in the 30's. It turns out he made some very nicely engraved rifles and shotguns, and his sons continued the family business for decades afterwards. It has finely struck 29" nitro krupp barrels, 2.75" chambers, is choked .01/.04 (cylinder/skeet), and weighed 6lbs. on the dot when I got it.
I'm a professional oil painter also (I've shown my work all over Europe and North America), and I've had in mind to try to echo the look of receiver engraving in paint, on the stock. I've often wondered why we go to great lengths to custom engrave receiver metal, but choose to leave the largest blank canvas on the gun alone, save for checkering and perhaps carving. I painted my english setter Briar on the left with some flushing chukars, and a portrait of my late dad on the right, with a flushing pheasant. The forend has a painted leaf tip as well. I also added a 1/2" checkered butt extension I had laying around from a Ceasar Guerini, and blended it in, and enhanced the grain with dark horizontal streaks.
After shaving off the cheek piece and pistol grip, she now weighs 5.75lbs, and is a lightning quick wand. I'm still waiting for the trigger guard I extended to get back from the engraver, but I thought I would share some before/after pics anyway. I can't wait to shoot some birds with it. Enjoy!
Before:
After:
