Learning to Work on English Double Shotguns

There have been a lot of changes in the gun world in the last 50 years. Not all that long ago, the idea of the semi-automatic pistol being used anywhere other than in the military was almost unthinkable. And the acceptance of the AR-15/M16type rifles as suitable for a variety of hunting, competition, law-enforcement, military, and civilian uses would have been regarded as ridiculous in the early 1960s. Even shotguns have gone through major changes.

When I first got into gunsmithing it was years before I saw my first English side-by-side double. As I recall, in my first five years or so, no more than two English guns came into my shop. At that time, most of my customers had never even seen a British double and knew next to nothing about them. The well-heeled and sophisticated shotgunners in my area used Brownings, and if they were side-by-side users, they went for Parkers or L. C. Smiths. That’s certainly changed within the last 10 years.

Pick up any current issue of Shooting Sportsman or Double Gun Journal and you’ll see a number of articles on British guns’ along with the many ads from sellers of imported side-by-side shotguns. It’s not surprising then that English and European side-by-sides are becoming more prevalent as many shooters opt for these guns. There are a number of reasons for this.

Some folks purchase British guns as a "status symbol." They see themselves as a cut above the common folk and these high-ticket guns help to separate them from the masses. There are others, of course, who simply enjoy owning and shooting a darn nice gun. They like the way these guns look, feel, and handle. A good friend of mine who shoots an English double told me it helps him to feel like he’s back in a slower, more relaxed time.

Whatever the reason, lots of shooters have turned to side-by-side doubles and that can mean new opportunities for the gunsmith. Getting Started with Doubles Many "smiths shy away from working on doubles for very good reasons. Often, they’ve had little or no experience with doubles and especially the more expensive imported guns. They understand well the potential haz- This one is in better-than-average condition. ards of doing a poor job on an expensive gun.

Not only can this incur the wrath of the owner and result in a possible lawsuit, but the owner and his friends will make sure your name and reputation are dragged through the mud. So how can you get started with these guns without the risk of screwing something up and making customers mad? It’s really not all that difficult, but it will require some time, as learning anything new always does. And, it will take a modest investment in books, tools, and a few guns. ¨

Books You’ll Need Let’s talk about the books first. There are relatively few books available that cover side-by-side doubles, and none that I would calla true "how-to" manual. However, the basic information you need is available if you take the time to find it and are willing to do some careful reading. The five books I would recommend are as follows: Double Guns and Custom Gunsmithing by Steven Dodd Hughes. Hughes is probably the best gunsmithing writer on doubles in the U. S.

This is his latest book and it’s filled with good information. Whether it’s TIG welding or stock bending, he provides sound advice and practical guidance. Consider this one to be a "must-have" book. Fine Gunmaking Double Shotguns by Steven Dodd Hughes. This was Hughes’ first book on doubles and is a bit more basic than Double Guns and Custom Gunsmithing. However, it provides good information and should definitely beapart of your library. Shotgun Technicana by Michael Mc Intosh and David Trevallion.

This small book has a wealth of good material on a variety of subjects ranging from removing dents and drastic stock alterations to leather covering recoil pads. The Art of Gunsmithing’T he Shotgun by Lewis Potter. Potter is a young Englishman who is both a great writer and a darn good gunsmith. This is an outstanding book by an author who actually gets his hands dirty and understands the realities of a working gunsmithing shop. The Craft of the Gunsmith by G. W. Spearing.

This is a much older book than the first four and one that might be a bit more difficult to find. The author tells how he got into the British trade and what it was like to work as a country gunsmith between the World Wars. While the book does not contain as much "meat" as some of the others, there are nuggets there that make it worth owning. The stockbending box is one such jewel. Those five books can provide a wealth of information available nowhere else.

Most gun-book dealers can supply the first four, as they are all still in print. The last book can normally be found as a used book on websites like Amazon.com. In addition, I would encourage you to subscribe to the Double Gun Journal and Shooting Sportsman magazines. Both regularly run in-depth articles on various aspects of gunsmithing doubles. Training Programs Another great source of information and training is the NRA Summer Gunsmithing Program. Courses on doubles have been offered in the past.

For many years, Jack Rowe, the oldest British-trained gunsmith in America, These Spanish doubles will give you ample opportunity to hone your skills and develop your techniques. Once you successfully clean up this mess, you’ll know something about repairing ribs. has taught a basic course in working on British doubles. Until you’ve seen Rowe bend a stock using nothing more than a propane torch, some cotton rags, and linseed oil, you haven’t lived!

Similar courses are offered at a number of gunsmithing schools around the country. I took Jack’s course at Montgomery Tech in Troy, North Carolina, several years ago and it was fantastic. It has also been offered through the gunsmithing department at Murray State College in Tishomingo, Oklahoma. If you have more time available, Dean Arnold, the chairman of the gunsmithing program at Murray State College, recently told me of plans to offer a full-time gunsmithing program devoted to double shotguns.

Murray State has even hired anew instructor, Dewy Vicknair, to run the program. Vicknair is well known within the shotgun community and the Custom Gunmakers Guild as one of the finest shotgun gunsmiths in the country. Hopefully this program should be up and running by the end of 2009.

If you want more information on this exciting new program, contact De rray State College ext. 235). tally, another one of the benefits of taking such a course is the opportunity to get to know other students who share your interest and desire to learn. You’d be surprised

Above left and A great exercise and learning experience would be to cut the guard off, add apiece of steel, and convert it to along-tang guard (right) for a straight-grip stock. how much good info you can pick up just in "shooting the bull" with your fellow students. Working on "British" Guns That Aren’t British You can certainly learn a lot by studying the literature and taking classes, but sooner or later you simply have to get your hands on some guns you can experiment with.

Unfortunately, most of us cannot afford to spend thousands of dollars for "practice" guns. That’s the bad news. The good news is we don’t have to. The basic design of most English doubles is so good that’like a lot of other good designs’it’s been copied! Spain and Belgium both export many thousands of side-by-side doubles that are copies of English designs. And they’re inexpensive. This is especially true of the basic Anson & Dealy boxlock.

These guns are not as well built or as nicely finished as the pricier English guns, but the basic mechanism is often identical to that of the top-dollar British doubles. Not too long ago, Century International Arms Making those repairs’and possibly making some mistakes in the process’is the best way to learn. imported thousands Spanish side-by-side doubles in 12 and 16 gauges. Many of these guns are "well used" to say the least, but the prices on these guns are low (in the $150 to $190 range).

Contact Century for information on current prices and availability. These Spanish doubles are ideal practice guns. No one will get upset if you make a mess relaying the ribs or installing anew hinge pin on one of these old Spanish side-by-sides. And if you do have problems, so what? Just try again and keep working at it until you get it right. That’s a luxury you would never have working on a customer’s gun or even on one of your own personal guns of greater value.

Keep in mind that the basic mechanisms on most of these Spanish doubles are simply copies of English designs. Once you master the Spanish guns, you’ll be in much better shape to move on to more complex and higher-grade guns. You’ll probably want to start working on the lowerend American double guns and move up to the more expensive guns as your experience and reputation grow. Eventually, you’ll find yourself working on English guns and doing a very credible job.

By that time, you’ll have considerable experience under your belt, knowledge of the various mechanisms, and a good basic understanding of double gun work. Tools and Suppliers As for tools, you probably already have most of what you need. One of the great things about side-by-side shotguns is the limited number of special-purpose tools you’ll need. As Jack Rowe mentioned in one of his (continued on page 22)

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