@BrentD the gauntlet has been thrown down, we anxiously await your response.
Throwing gauntlets now, are we? Well, it's hard to shoot wearing them so I suppose that they must be thrown down at some point.
What can I say? I brought three guns - one to loan, one for back up if needed and one as a primary gun. You can see the Merkel in
@wllm1313 posts. It's just a Model 8, BLNE (Box Lock, Non Ejector (aka extractors only)), no longer being imported into the US from Germany. Originally about $850 new and 6.5 # and 28" barrels with about 15" LOP with the pad. I bought it new in about 1993 I suppose. They can be found in excellent condition for about the same money today. I had the forcing cones lengthened, Briley thin-wall chokes installed, and lengthened with a rubber buttpad. This was all in celebration of landing my first (and last) real job. I figured it would be my go-to gun for all time. So little did I know. It is a fine gun for sure. Strong as they come but a bit Teutonic for me, perhaps. The shape of the forearm is too square and blunt, the action is fine but it doesnt' so much flow as simply declare itself invincible. With a double bite blow and a Green crossbolt for a third lock-up, so she is. I've busted her two or three times running after pheasants. This was an important lesson. I learned that I needed to figure out how to do some of my own gunsmithing. And I learned that I could. Under the skin, she has a couple of stainless bolts epoxied into butterfly mortises. Stronger now than when she was born.
The other thing I learned after this gun, and with the coming of the internet, was that it was as much fun to hunt FOR guns as i was to hunt WITH guns. So I did. The world was my huckleberry back then, I and bought guns in New Zealand, Australia, London and all over the USA. Being antiques (pre1899), they could be shipped right to my door. I learned a lot, and yet, I still don't know very much. Shotguns are cool because there is so much to know.
I can see Vikingsguy and Ben Lamb's eyeballs rolling back in their heads. Yup, going off the rail. Again. I'll try for brevity...
Of the other two guns I brought, one was an Ithaca/SKB 100 in 28 gauge, IC/M chokes, 25.5" barrels. It's about an $800-900 gun. These are damn fine guns. But have only a single, selective trigger. Weighs a bit over 6# which is too heavy for a 20 in my opinion, but lighter than most American 20 gauge doubles. I bought it for my wife to hunt over her golden Ande. I cut down the stock, added a pad, and she carried and shot it well, except at birds. But finally she killed one. That was enough. She never hunted again. So, I restocked it with another piece of wood and will be adding a leather covered pad to replace the lace on, that I need to make it work for me. It's arguably better made than any British or American gun, but lacks soul somehow.
The Ithaca is the bottom gun in this photo
The other gun in that photo is the gun I hunted with all week. It is a Cashmore Paragon. Probably made around 1900-1910. I bought it as a back up to my favorite gun, a Greener Facile Princeps made to order in 1903. But I fell with that gun and busted it badly so for 14 months, I needed a back up, and nothing felt just right. Until this Cashmore comes along for only $725 delivered (BLE, aka Box Lock Ejectors). She had been resleeved (the barrels are cut off at the ends of the chambers and new ones are installed. The sleeving was done in England so it had to be reproofed before she could be resold. The resleeving was superbly done and she patterns like a champ. Chokes are IC/M, 26" barrels and spot on at 6# even. She was a little short, so I laced on a pad and found that things died really well in front of her. Amazingly well actually.
So, over the winter I learned how to make leather buttpads and added one to get the length were I wanted it. And under the original, but very murky finish, I could see figure, so I gave her a somewhat aggressive wash with acetone and then refinished her after bending her for a slight bit more drop and a slight bit less cast off. And now she is perfect. Like really perfect. Especially for grouse.
So why side-by-sides? Because they are beautiful, historic, aerodynamic on the swing, easy to carry, and quick to mount, but mostly because, they will make you look good (or at least better), and some of us need all the help we can get. (see photos of wllm1313 with and without Merkel for example,
In the end, your heirs will get most, if not all of your money back, and maybe much more, if they want to flip those guns after your untimely demise. Really, you are just paying a deposit to play with them until it is time for them to go.
Happy Gun Hunting. Remember, there are no closed seasons, no points to buy, no lottery drawings, no limits (other than your bank account), and you will always look better with a side-by in your hand. Even if you miss. Always.
PS. If you want to get an over/under, get one like Ben's. That thing is gorgeous!
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