Inherited guns...

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Inherited guns...

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Mary-Jane

Joined: 13 Jan 2005
Posts: 18397
Location: The Fishing Strumpet is from Ceredigion in West Wales

Posted: Fri Dec 31, 10 8:29 pm Post subject: Inherited guns...
My late brother's guns have been rescued, brought back to me and added to our growing collection of shotguns. We now have quite a number varying from mid-Victorian shotguns, to more modern ones. Gervase thinks that three or four could be well worth restoring (my grandfather and father's guns) as they are quite beautiful. Does anyone know of reputable gun restorers, or have any general advice?

sean
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42219
Location: North Devon

Posted: Fri Dec 31, 10 8:42 pm Post subject:
Not personally. This lot seem to turn up quite a bit in searches. And they're based in Devon, so they must be good. https://www.ukgunrepairs.co.uk/index.htm

12Bore

Joined: 15 Jun 2008
Posts: 9089
Location: Paddling in the Mersey

Posted: Fri Dec 31, 10 8:59 pm Post subject:
Henry Monk, in Chester.

Calli

Joined: 13 Mar 2009
Posts: 626
Location: Galway

Posted: Fri Dec 31, 10 9:59 pm Post subject:

12Bore wrote:

Henry Monk, in Chester.

Seconded. My brother swears by them.

Ruralnaedowell

Joined: 11 Nov 2010
Posts: 121
Location: Welshpool

Posted: Mon Jan 03, 11 2:31 am Post subject:

I would reccomend Mr Jackson in Ellesmere Port for an honest appraisal and fairly priced quality work. He is a proper old school gunsmith and his bench is behind the counter in his shop.

You probably know that a lot of gunmakers, even the famous names don't do the work themselves and will send your guns out to the trade and add a healthy % for themselves. Thus if you send your london gun back to the makers for a new set of barrels at �8000, they most likely will be done in the midlands, including the engraving on the rib with " London"
Cheers

Mary-Jane

Joined: 13 Jan 2005
Posts: 18397
Location: The Fishing Strumpet is from Ceredigion in West Wales

Posted: Wed Jan 12, 11 4:39 pm Post subject:

GreenGurl wrote:

I would also suggest you start learning a bit about restoring in your spare time, just so you know what the restorer is talking about.

Gervase has been giving them a bit of a 'do' and has been looking them up online - there are three or four that are quite old and nice with it.

Ruralnaedowell

Joined: 11 Nov 2010
Posts: 121
Location: Welshpool

Posted: Wed Jan 12, 11 11:00 pm Post subject:
What are the makers names ?

Gervase

Joined: 17 Nov 2004
Posts: 8655

Posted: Thu Jan 13, 11 9:35 am Post subject:

The three guns of interest are a Wallas 12-bore sidelock (Wigton, c 1890), a Greener 16-bore sidelock (Birmingham, c 1880) and an Army & Navy CSL 20 bore (London, c 1900). All three are hammer guns, the Greener and the A&N with damascus barrels (although BNP) and the Wallas with 20th century replacement steel barrels.
All three are missing the firing pins, which isn't a major problem, but the Greener is also missing a hammer, which is more of a problem, as the remaining hammer is a beautifully cut and chased serpentine item which will be a beggar to replace. The Wallas has a broken rear trigger, and all three need restocking.
TBH the cost of repairs will be probably greater than the guns' commercial value, but they are family heirlooms, so that's not a hugely relevant factor.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46217
Location: yes

Posted: Thu Jan 13, 11 7:34 pm Post subject:
use the 2 least pleasing to pay for the nice one to be made useable?

Ruralnaedowell

Joined: 11 Nov 2010
Posts: 121
Location: Welshpool

Posted: Fri Jan 14, 11 2:48 pm Post subject:

Gervase wrote:

Sound great, I love the old hammerguns, there used to be lots still in general use by the old timers. You would see them at fox hunts cramming nitro cartridges in !
When I was a nipper, there used to be an old boy in Llanfyllin who you would sometimes see out on the hill below the lonely tree with a hammergun worn bright grey with use in his enormous hands.
I remember the farmer greeting him with gritted teeth and muttering about how he had better not be shooting my ducks, when he had gone !

For myself I would have the mechanical and wood repairs done and leave the original finish as it is, or be very subtle about it. The dings and zings are a nice records of your ancestors hands, sport and days out !

Over refinished hammerguns can look really nasty with reblued hammers and trigger guards etc, especially if the finish is worn underneath. Treaclelly reproduction case hardening is offensive to the eye as well. Same with over polished actions etc.
With the barrels - there is only a very small number of people who are mostly very old, who can properly reproduce the original browning on damascus barrels. Modern efforts can be a horrible chocolate or ginger colour, so ask to see some examples of work done.

Mary-Jane

Joined: 13 Jan 2005
Posts: 18397
Location: The Fishing Strumpet is from Ceredigion in West Wales

Posted: Fri Jan 14, 11 3:24 pm Post subject:

dpack wrote:

use the 2 least pleasing to pay for the nice one to be made useable?

We've got 10 others to choose from dpack

Mary-Jane

Joined: 13 Jan 2005
Posts: 18397
Location: The Fishing Strumpet is from Ceredigion in West Wales

Posted: Fri Jan 14, 11 3:27 pm Post subject:

Gervase wrote:

All three are missing the firing pins...

I've got a feeling that they're the three we used to have on the wall at home when I was younger. I may even have a photo of them somewhere. I remember the local firearms officer saying to Dad he could put them up on the wall if he took the firing pins out. Goodness knows what happened to them after that.

barrel browner

Joined: 03 Feb 2012
Posts: 3

Posted: Fri Feb 03, 12 10:19 am Post subject: Re: Inherited guns...

Mary-Jane wrote:

My late brother's guns have been rescued, brought back to me and added to our growing collection of shotguns. We now have quite a number varying from mid-Victorian shotguns, to more modern ones.
Gervase thinks that three or four could be well worth restoring (my grandfather and father's guns) as they are quite beautiful. Does anyone know of reputable gun restorers, or have any general advice?

Hi email me I specialize in gun restoration will post some pics on here if anyone is interested [email protected]

barrel browner

Joined: 03 Feb 2012
Posts: 3

Posted: Fri Feb 03, 12 5:13 pm Post subject:
[/img] A refinished damascus Greener gun, and a blacked Piotti

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