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Double Rifles, Single Shots & Combinations >> Paradox and Bore Guns
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Otony
.224 member


Reged: 25/03/10
Posts: 8
Loc: Walla Walla, WA
I drank the kool-ade!
      #158867 - 13/04/10 01:25 PM

Good evening Gentlemen,

Well, perhaps this is going out on a limb for a first post but I have been a big fan of slug guns for quite some time. I have also been shooting round ball from muzzleloaders (mostly smoothbores) for an even longer time, so while the thought of combining the two is certainly far from original, I have been considering it for far too long. Your postings have finally caused me to take action, and I have jumped in neck deep I'm afraid.

To that end I recently obtained a 12 gauge Sauer and Sohn SxS sporting side clips, a crossbolt, and double triggers. Overall condition is good, with a strong and tight lock up. The stock needs to be refinished, and as my enthusiasm for recoil is better served by large-bore sixguns of the .41 Magnum and .44 Special variety, a luxurious recoil pad will be fitted along with the new finish.

I also picked up three boxes of Magtech brass so far, but intend to search for paper hulls as well, as my intent is to use Holy Black. I want to try commercial round balls before progressing to casting my own, as I am not sure what I will eventually be using. The first order of business is to slug the bores and chokes to determine where the Sauer stands size wise per round balls needed. I want to try shooting it with the existing barrel length (28") and perhaps modifying the chokes before shortening the barrels (which I think is somewhat inevitable for the desired "look").

While reading the posts in this particular sub-forum I have found a variety of strong leads to follow. Indeed, the Sauer was actually obtained as a result of reading the great many posts re: "which shotgun for round balls". A fiber optic front sight seems to be a natural given the state of my 55 year old eyes, but I have yet to decide on a rear sight.

In the grand scheme of things, this smoothbore rifle will accompany myself, the wife, and our two children on our forays into the mountains of Eastern Washington and Western Idaho in pursuit of huckleberries and mushrooms. Woe betide the ursine terrorist foolish enough to dare disturb our gatherings. Secondary use will be against the porcine population of mid Oregon, and whatever other game I decide to pursue.

The Sauer will accompany me to the upcoming Gunmaker's Fair in Philomath, Oregon in order to cajole my friend Warren Adair into reworking the stock. He is a deft hand with stockmaking and should make short work of the needed modifications. A few "before & after" photos will be posted on my return.

A hearty thank you to the bunch of crazed enthusiasts who reside here. Your "thoughts" were all it took to finally push me over the edge!

--------------------
Otony

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9dot3x74R
.275 member


Reged: 11/02/10
Posts: 97
Loc: Tasmania
Re: I drank the kool-ade! [Re: Otony]
      #158878 - 13/04/10 04:45 PM

I have been thinking of embarking on a similar project... but haven't found the right gun yet. I look forward to reading more about your experiences and seeing the photos.

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________________________________________________________________________________________________________
It arrived !!!


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Grenadier
.375 member


Reged: 20/02/08
Posts: 570
Loc: North of the Columbia, USA
Re: I drank the kool-ade! [Re: Otony]
      #158901 - 14/04/10 12:32 AM

When you get the loads all worked out then you're going to bring it to the Holland & Holland Northwest SxS and Paradox Exhibition in Mt Vernon, right?

Northwest SxS Info

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~

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Otony
.224 member


Reged: 25/03/10
Posts: 8
Loc: Walla Walla, WA
Re: I drank the kool-ade! [Re: Grenadier]
      #158902 - 14/04/10 01:11 AM

I have actually thought about attending. This is a busy summer for me though. I am the Walla Walla Valley Friends of NRA committee chairman (our dinner is June 4, hint-hint), plus the Gunmakers Fair April 30-May 2. Also the aforementioned forays to gather huckleberries, , blackberries, mushrooms, and putting in a vegetable garden in my spare time. Fishing is vital as well!

Still, I am retired....which according to my wife seems to make for a busier life than during my working career. I will try to make the time, it should be rather fun. Other than the Sauer, the only other double shotguns I own are a restocked 12 gauge SKB 100 and a Valmet 20 gauge o/u remodeled and stocked by Steve Hughes. I imagine there would be some game to play with those as well, no?

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Otony

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poprivit
.333 member


Reged: 09/04/07
Posts: 397
Loc: Las Vegas, NV
Re: I drank the kool-ade! [Re: Otony]
      #158930 - 14/04/10 10:32 AM

Where could I find more info on the Gunmaker's Fair April 30 in Philomath, OR? It sounds like an invitation to drag out the 'ol Harley and make a ride from Las Vegas to the "Land of Perpetual Rain".

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Otony
.224 member


Reged: 25/03/10
Posts: 8
Loc: Walla Walla, WA
Re: I drank the kool-ade! [Re: poprivit]
      #158936 - 14/04/10 02:30 PM

The Gunmaker's Fair is for builders of muzzleloaders, and those folks interested in muzzleloaders (don't have to be a builder in other words).

Ron Scott is the brainchild. PM me and I will put you in touch with him.

Usually about 30 or so folks in attendance. Held in a barn/workshop. Nothing fancy in terms of ambiance, but the fellows doing the various presentations are pretty serious about their art. I have seen some top notch work along with one or two eyebrow raisers!

I wanted to add a note about the Sauer I purchased. Simpson Ltd. has a fair number of them, along with an incredible variety of other European doubles, most brought over from Sweden as a result of their unfortunate taxation laws. As you might imagine, there is a wide choice of Husqvarnas, along with offerings from France, Spain, Belgium, and Germany. Maybe an Italian gun or two as well.

My Sauer is mechanically perfect and worn cosmetically. Everything functions, right down to the cocking indicators (nice touch for a gun that might see action I suppose). The stock needs to be refinished, as does the metal but I will likely worry about just the wood.

The price for this fine smoothbore? $267 shipped. That is correct. Tight, on the face, side clips, double triggers, blah-blah, woof-woof. From my perusals of the double gun builders forum, it would appear that this is a more than decent candidate for conversion to a double rifle. Just a heads up.

While I love and own fine firearms, I am not opposed to a utility gun, especially one that is just an older, finish worn, decent quality piece. I will doll it up a bit, but prefer to leave it alone for the most part so as to really get some use out of it. Turning it into a silk purse won't encourage me to tote it in the woods, just the opposite. The wear is real, and it's potential very, very high.

--------------------
Otony

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Otony
.224 member


Reged: 25/03/10
Posts: 8
Loc: Walla Walla, WA
Re: I drank the kool-ade! [Re: Otony]
      #160935 - 24/05/10 09:21 AM

So a report is in order re: the Sauer and the Gunmakers Fair.

This year the turn out was quite generous, approximately 50 people or so. A very fine time was had by all and one of the topics was stock finishing, led by Steve Nelson, a member of the Custom Gunmakers Guild. Jerry Huddleston was in attendance as well, another Guild member whose specialty is engraving. He led a discussion/teaching session on engraving tools and sharpening techniques thereof. Most of the presentations were on building skills that can easily translate to either modern or vintage firearms, so the Fair should not be considered just for muzzleloader fans.

By the way, there was a fellow there whose name escapes me, but he had done an incredilbe job on restocking a Pedersoli double .72 muzzleloader. All the furniture had been reworked or replaced to such an extent that only a few faint clues gave away its origins. Pedersoli double rifles use a very distinctive step down on the barrels about 6" from the breech that would be almost impossible to mask, which is what tipped me off.

As to the Sauer, well we did manage a few changes. First of all the Germanic cheekpiece was removed quite nicely (I am left-handed after all), with no trace of it remaining. The stock had been slightly shortened in its past, and was wearing a steel buttplate that obviously did NOT come from the shop of J.P. Sauer. We were fortunate enough to still have enough length to make a clean-up cut and bring the stock to an appropriate size with the addition of a Pachmayr Old English pad. We also pulled the sling swivels as the decision was made to keep this as a full length shotgun for fowling of one sort or another. More on that below.

My friend Warren was coerced into recheckering the stock and applying a new finish. The metal is worn but clean enough to warrant going untouched. Oddly enough the original owner must have been left-handed as well, because the wear to the checkering was all on the left side of the grip.

What neither of use could bring ourselves to do was consider shortening the barrels. This is such a clean, well made example of a German shotgun that it seemed a shame to do so. The decision to leave it as is was made much easier by two things. First, I had picked up an H&R Ultra Light Slug Hunter in 20ga to "experiment" with, but mnore importantly, I just found a CZ imported Huglu coach gun that fits my needs almost perfectly. It has a Greener crossbolt and a full pistol grip, so I will simply add a recoil pad and sights. The fun of "regulating" it with round balls is just the icing on the cake!

--------------------
Otony

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