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CptCurlAdministrator
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Show Your Bellies!
      #96873 - 16/02/08 11:44 PM

Maybe I'm obsessed with pieces and parts. Several years ago I started a thread featuturing double rifle muzzles.
It drew some interest, and you can see it here:

"It's What's Up Front That Counts"

Well, my right arm was laid up for a while, and that got me to thinking about what I could post once I got
back my ability to type and work with photos. The answer: BELLIES!

We handle our beloved guns, we carry them, we shoot them, and usually they are right side up. In a way,
that's a boring position. We see the top of the gun, and often the side of the gun, particularly if we
lay it down. What we don't see from normal handling is the belly of the gun.

To see the belly you have to turn the gun upside down. It won't stay in that position naturally. Nobody
carries a gun upside down. If you lay a gun down, it stays on its side. It takes a bit of effort to look
at the gun's belly.

But the belly provides the broadest expanse of metal for the engraver's art. The actioner also takes
a lot of interest in the belly with his files as he sculptures the action. There's a lot to look
at under there.

So I decided to show some bellies, and I would like to look at your bellies too. Everybody get your camera,
turn your guns belly up, and snap a photo. Let's look at BELLIES!

I'm going to start with some rifle bellies, but I have photos of shotgun bellies too. I don't think
I'll get thrown off the forum for posting shotgun bellies, and you won't either.

Here's my first belly, and it's a nice one. This is my Woodward .450/.400 3.25" double rifle. To my eye
this is as fine a layout of tight English scroll as can be found.



More to come.

Curl

Edited by DRarchive (01/08/08 11:20 AM)


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CptCurlAdministrator
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Re: Show Your Bellies! [Re: CptCurl]
      #96874 - 16/02/08 11:47 PM

My next belly is another rifle. It's a belly anybody would be proud of. This is a Holland & Holland Royal Hammerless Ejector in .375 Flanged Magnum:



More to come.

Curl

Edited by DRarchive (01/08/08 11:20 AM)


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CptCurlAdministrator
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Re: Show Your Bellies! [Re: CptCurl]
      #96875 - 16/02/08 11:49 PM

Another belly on the list is this one - an old friend of mine. It's a rather petite belly. My Francotte 9x57R SLE:




More to come.

Curl

Edited by DRarchive (01/08/08 11:21 AM)


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CptCurlAdministrator
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Re: Show Your Bellies! [Re: CptCurl]
      #96876 - 16/02/08 11:52 PM

Here's a belly you would like to rub. It's a clamshell actioned 9.3x74R. Look at those love handles!



More to come.

Curl

Edited by DRarchive (01/08/08 11:22 AM)


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CptCurlAdministrator
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Re: Show Your Bellies! [Re: CptCurl]
      #96877 - 16/02/08 11:54 PM

Now a belly from Austria. This is a Ludwig Borovnik SLE in .375 H&H:




More to come.

Curl

Edited by DRarchive (01/08/08 11:22 AM)


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CptCurlAdministrator
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Re: Show Your Bellies! [Re: CptCurl]
      #96878 - 16/02/08 11:56 PM

Here's a big old belly just itching to go back to Africa. It's my George Gibbs .450 Nitro Express:



More to come.

Curl

Edited by DRarchive (01/08/08 11:23 AM)


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CptCurlAdministrator
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Re: Show Your Bellies! [Re: CptCurl]
      #96879 - 16/02/08 11:58 PM

This is another small belly. A rifle that would be great for African antelope or North American deer and elk.
This is a Charles Lancaster .280 Flanged:



More to come.

Curl

Edited by DRarchive (01/08/08 11:23 AM)


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CptCurlAdministrator
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Re: Show Your Bellies! [Re: CptCurl]
      #96880 - 17/02/08 12:01 AM

This belly is itching for Africa too. Some of you don't like O/U rifles, but if you could fondle this belly you might
change your mind. It's a Merkel .323E in .375 H&H Mag.



More to come.

Curl

Edited by DRarchive (01/08/08 11:24 AM)


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CptCurlAdministrator
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Re: Show Your Bellies! [Re: CptCurl]
      #96881 - 17/02/08 12:03 AM

Here's the last smooth rifle belly for now. It's fairly plain, but that doesn't mean it's not to be loved and rubbed.
It's a Pedersoli Kodiak Mk. IV in .45/70.



More to come.

Curl

Edited by DRarchive (01/08/08 11:24 AM)


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CptCurlAdministrator
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Re: Show Your Bellies! [Re: CptCurl]
      #96882 - 17/02/08 12:05 AM

This belly is different because it has something to play with. A Jones lever!

This is a Thomas Horsley 12 bore double rifle.



More to come.

Curl

Edited by DRarchive (01/08/08 11:25 AM)


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CptCurlAdministrator
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Re: Show Your Bellies! [Re: CptCurl]
      #96883 - 17/02/08 12:07 AM

Another belly with a lever attached. This is a Purdey .500 3" BPE double rifle.



More to come.

Curl

Edited by DRarchive (01/08/08 11:25 AM)


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CptCurlAdministrator
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Re: Show Your Bellies! [Re: CptCurl]
      #96884 - 17/02/08 12:09 AM

That's all the rifles for now. The next bellies are shotgun bellies, but beautiful none-the-less.

First is a Harry Kell engraved Purdey 12 bore SLE from 1931. A beautiful, classic belly.



More to come.

Curl

Edited by DRarchive (01/08/08 11:26 AM)


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CptCurlAdministrator
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Re: Show Your Bellies! [Re: CptCurl]
      #96885 - 17/02/08 12:11 AM

The next belly is from across the English Channel, but it certainly emulates the finest London best.
It's a Belgian SLE 12 bore.



More to come.

Curl

Edited by DRarchive (01/08/08 11:27 AM)


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CptCurlAdministrator
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Re: Show Your Bellies! [Re: CptCurl]
      #96886 - 17/02/08 12:13 AM

This belly is from the Continent also. It comes from one of Italy's finest makers. It's a Piotti King Extra 12 bore.



More to come.

Curl

Edited by DRarchive (01/08/08 11:27 AM)


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CptCurlAdministrator
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Re: Show Your Bellies! [Re: CptCurl]
      #96887 - 17/02/08 12:15 AM

Ooops, I almost forgot this one. Back to Belgium again. This is a Francotte SLE 12 bore self opener.



More to come.

Curl

Edited by DRarchive (01/08/08 11:28 AM)


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CptCurlAdministrator
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Re: Show Your Bellies! [Re: CptCurl]
      #96888 - 17/02/08 12:18 AM

Back to Italy again. This is a really fine and interesting belly. It's a Piotti Monaco No. 1 20 bore. I love stroking this belly.



That's all for now.

It's time for all of you to show your bellies.

Everybody BELLY UP!

Curl

--------------------
RoscoeStephenson.com

YOUR DOUBLE RIFLE IS YOUR BEST FRIEND.



Edited by DRarchive (01/08/08 11:28 AM)


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WVFRED
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Re: Show Your Bellies! [Re: CptCurl]
      #96890 - 17/02/08 01:46 AM

wow Curl,
I think you have the market cornered on nice bellies.I really like the Woodward and Gibbs.Very impressive engraving.

Thanks for sharing.

Fred


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gatsby
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Re: Show Your Bellies! [Re: CptCurl]
      #96894 - 17/02/08 02:34 AM

Curl,
Very nice indeed! The Lancaster 280 is eye catching in its understated design. You have several that you could send me for a more hands on look at their art work, if its no trouble?

I only have one ready to go a Westley with rifled choke tubes





--------------------
"Recoil is insignificant when there is a tiger on the head of your elephant" The Maharaja of Cooch Behar



Edited by DRarchive (01/08/08 11:30 AM)


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DarylS
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Re: Show Your Bellies! [Re: gatsby]
      #96903 - 17/02/08 04:30 AM

Mighty fine, Curl - mighty fine indeed!
: thankyou.

--------------------
Daryl


"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V


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EricD
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Re: Show Your Bellies! [Re: DarylS]
      #96907 - 17/02/08 05:15 AM

Those are some lovely bellies Curl. And I especially enjoyed that none of them have pierced belly buttons, which is apparently in fashion at the moment amongst young women.

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BigFiveJack
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Re: Show Your Bellies! [Re: EricD]
      #96924 - 17/02/08 09:53 AM

Good Stuff, thanks for the effort!

--------------------
Cordially,
Jack

NRA Endowment Member
DRSS Member


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gatsby
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Re: Show Your Bellies! [Re: CptCurl]
      #96941 - 17/02/08 05:52 PM

Quote:

My next belly is another rifle. It's a belly anybody would be proud of. This is a Holland & Holland Royal Hammerless Ejector in .375 Flanged Magnum:



More to come.

Curl






And another Holland from the same time period a 26" barrel "paradox"



--------------------
"Recoil is insignificant when there is a tiger on the head of your elephant" The Maharaja of Cooch Behar



Edited by DRarchive (01/08/08 11:31 AM)


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4seventy
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Re: Show Your Bellies! [Re: CptCurl]
      #96946 - 17/02/08 08:36 PM

Curl,
Very nice indeed!
I've always been a fan of nice "bellies" and there are some beautiful examples in that lot.
Now, when will I get a chance to give a couple of them a little rub?


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CptCurlAdministrator
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Re: Show Your Bellies! [Re: 4seventy]
      #96954 - 18/02/08 12:59 AM

Thanks everybody!

Gatsby - Great bellies!!!

Everybody else, don't be bashful. Show your bellies.
I know there are some beautiful bellies out there waiting to
be displayed.

I have a few more to post if I can find the time to snap
a few photos. But this isn't intended to be my thread.
Everybody must join in. Let this become the greatest
display of bellies on the internet. BELLY UP!

Curl

--------------------
RoscoeStephenson.com

YOUR DOUBLE RIFLE IS YOUR BEST FRIEND.



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RSFknives
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Re: Show Your Bellies! [Re: CptCurl]
      #96960 - 18/02/08 03:33 AM

here is a pic of the belly on a double rifle my teacher made in 2002-2003
he also did all the engraving
his name is Stanley Stoltz



thought iŽd throw in the side plates aswell (sorry for the poor picture quality)



/Roger

--------------------
life is to short to own an ugly gun.

http://www.knifeguild.se

Edited by DRarchive (01/08/08 11:32 AM)


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