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!
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!
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.
