Getting a “forever shotgun”

rookhawk

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I decided to get a forever shotgun for one of my kids. I agreed in my mind that my target price was $1500, the going rate for an unremarkable but functional beretta white wing or browning citori. I decided to see what I could do for similar costs if I looked for a high quality London side by side gun short of a “best gun” if I was willing to accept its flaws to collectibility or high demand.

What I did:

I created a short list of features I wanted that I believed would be detrimental to collector value while having no safety or quality detractions. I started looking for guns with short stocks, long stocks with ugly stock extensions, guns cast-on for lefties, guns with short barrels, guns with short chambers, and certainly guns that are 12 bore because they are less desirable.

Where I landed:

I found a beautiful custom 7x57 Mannlicher Schoenauer rifle at auction some time ago. I got it for a bargain and it was fantastic, but it wasn’t a critical gun for my kids. I then searched stale shotgun listings that languished with dealers and offered up a trade. I traded the MS for a EJ Churchill XXV 12 bore with a hideous stock extension, too much cast, a second set of barrels, short chambered (but in proof), with a very nice single trigger added (not good for collectors). I made the even trade with the dealer and he immediately sold the rifle while getting rid of a stale gun in inventory.

Next moves:

Six months ago I took my son and got him fitted for the gun. I brought it to a competent best-gun smith that removed the stock extension, recheckered the gun, created a checkered butt of proper length, opened up the forcing cones on the spare barrels for 2-3/4” shells and opened the chokes on that set, and changed the cast and pitch of the gun. We picked it up this week.

Final Tally:

It took me a year to find the rifle I bartered, six months to find an ideal gun to trade for, and six months to get the gunsmithing completed. For the price of a citori, my kid has a forever shotgun, a 1930s EJ Churchill with its original barrels as made and a spare set of barrels he can beat the hell out of with modern loads. In 3 years we’ll chop the checkered butt and add a 1” pad and adjust cast again. In 10 years he can have it restocked to his adult dimensions on his dime or just keep it as a grouse gun a bit short of his likely adult length of pull.

Next Steps:

we are going to rebuild a vintage English case to fit the gun over the next year so he has his go-to kit ready for travel.

Conclusion:

long term strategies and willingness to accept collectibility flaws can allow anyone of reasonable means to get a decent gun if that’s your aim. Best of all, it’s a stable asset rather than a depreciating one for his future.

wish us luck, we attempt to get him a turkey with it this week!
 
That’s really great. I have a number of guns I’d rather trade than sell. That sounds like a good plan. I may go a similar route.
 
...

Conclusion:

long term strategies and willingness to accept collectibility flaws can allow anyone knowledgeable of reasonable means to get a decent gun if that’s your aim. Best of all, it’s a stable asset rather than a depreciating one for his future.
...

Fixed it for you. ;) The knowledge part is the most important factor, knowing what to look for, knowing how to go about it and knowing what needs to be done for the final result.

I certainly would not have been able to do it as I do not have your expertise. I just bought a used shotgun today and had to depend on others' expertise as outlined in this thread.

https://www.africahunting.com/threads/opinions-on-sxs-shotgun-brands.27606/
 
@rookhawk Did you have any pictures to share?
 
I’ll snap some pics of the gun with a turkey in the coming days. My son got gobblers to 78 yards, but not close enough for a 40 yard shot. Now we move the blind and change the decoy setup to try again tomorrow!
 
Rookhawk, it looks like you are training the lad to follow in your footsteps!! He gets a "new" gun but more importantly an education as well.
 
I’ll snap some pics of the gun with a turkey in the coming days. My son got gobblers to 78 yards, but not close enough for a 40 yard shot. Now we move the blind and change the decoy setup to try again tomorrow!

Sounds like the turkeys are social distancing..........for their own good.
 
Sounds like the turkeys are social distancing..........for their own good.

Saw a list of animals that are susceptible to the virus yesterday. Apparently turkeys are near the top of the list. Baboons are the only primates that are believed to be immune. Turkeys have been social distancing from me my whole life though.
 
Nice. Congrats!
Upload some photo!
 
I'm so broke I can't even pay attention!!
 
Awesome when a plan comes together- thanks for sharing. As far an heirlooms go, my great grandfather used to be a big game hunter in Mozambique and Zambia many moons ago. Never met the man, but I would do anything to get my hands on one of his rifles. Sadly, no one else in my family cared much for hunting and over the years objects from his collection were either lost, stolen or sold- now nothing is left.

Good on you for giving your kids something with history- hope they enjoy it.
 
Saw a list of animals that are susceptible to the virus yesterday. Baboons are the only primates that are believed to be immune.



That explains a lot about the survival rate in Washington DC. Sorry about the highjack- hopefully it won't derail.

great that you're getting a quality gun and putting it to good use AND passing along the knowledge and traditions that go with it.
 
That explains a lot about the survival rate in Washington DC. Sorry about the highjack- hopefully it won't derail.

great that you're getting a quality gun and putting it to good use AND passing along the knowledge and traditions that go with it.

I don’t mind thread jacking at all. I feel this forum is sort of a beer summit. It’s nice to banter and slightly off-topic stuff makes us all seem a bit more human.
 

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