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My First SXS!

3K views 13 replies 12 participants last post by  AndyC 
#1 · (Edited)
I have always wanted a double barrel shotgun but nice ones cost a fortune and really nice ones cost several fortunes. There was a 12 gauge Bernardelli Gamecock for sale on gunbroker and it was actually located at my local range. Fate! So I put in what I thought was a really low bid but low and behold I was the only bidder so I won it this morning and picked it up this afternoon.

It is by far the nicest and most beautiful firearm I own. Light, graceful, classy, and elegant. I don't hunt or shoot skeet so I am not exactly sure what to do with it but I sure do like it. If this is what a cheap(ish) sxs looks and feels like I cannot imagine what those super expensive guns must be like.

Pictures are from the gunbroker auction. The wood is much darker in person.
 

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#3 · (Edited)
It is choked improved cylinder and improved modified. 2 stars and 4 stars. Given that it is a 12 gauge with 25 inch barrels and those chokes I guess it would be best suited for long walks through tight brush hunting quail or some other such bird. I know almost nothing about shotguns but this seems like a slightly unusual combination. It doesn't really matter to me because I bought it as a beautiful object. It will be harder to sell it whenever I inevitably do.
 
#5 ·
I've got a 60's vintage Japanese built Winchester 101 in 12 gauge with those choke combinations and it is a shotgun that has served me very well for all types of upland game in various environments including quail, pheasant and grouse from the open fields of central Oregon to the lodgepole forests of the Blue mountains. Have fun with a beautiful and versatile hunting shotgun.
 
#4 ·
I have always wanted a double barrel shotgun but nice ones cost a fortune and really nice ones cost several fortunes. There was a 12 gauge Bernardelli Gamecock for sale on gunbroker and it was actually located at my local range. Fate! So I put in what I thought was a really low bid but low and behold I was the only bidder so I won it this morning and picked it up this afternoon.

It is by far the nicest and most beautiful firearm I own. Light, graceful, classy, and elegant. I don't hunt or shoot skeet so I am not exactly sure what to do with it but I sure do like it. If this is what a cheap(ish) sxs looks and feels like I cannot imagine what those super expensive guns must be like.

Pictures are from the gunbroker auction. The wood is much darker in person.
Tax stamp it and take the barrels down to about 10" and the stock down to where you can just mount the gun; you'll have a handy house gun that's the talk of the range.
 
#10 ·
DON"T YOU DARE cut that gun down. If you want to sell it lots of people will be willing to buy it. Just don't try to sell on gun broker.
Btw the way it's a grouse gun for use in the scrub and woods.
 
#6 ·
Nice, I have always loved doubles. When I went overseas to Turkey back in the early 70's I took Dad's old Stevens 16 Ga sxs along. We were not allowed rifled personal arms, unless it had been in country before a certain date. The ones floating around were scarce and getting quite expensive for what they were.

I first bought a Rem 1100. mostly for hunting wild boar in the mountains. I got a plain modified barrel, and quickly bought a slug barrel. Next was a 20 Ga Win 101, I/M, then a beautiful Ithaca SKB sxs.

Came home to the states and my son was born a couple of years later and I went back to my rifles for years. About 10-12 years ago I found a nice Parker GH, something about it felt better, it just fit better than some of the prettier higher grades so it came home. A couple of years later a nice little 28Ga Darne came along, thats a sliding breech, French sxs, then a Charlin a similar type but different locking mechanism. My last acquisition was a Husqvarna (Swedish) sxs sidelock with external hammers

To me nothing carries and points like a sxs.
 
#7 ·
Here's what the Bluebook of Gun Values has to say about your sotgun:
S. UBERTO 1 GAMECOCK
12, 16, 20, or 28 ga., 25 3/4 in. imp. cyl. and mod., 27 1/2 in. full and mod., hammerless, boxlock, extractors, two triggers, English style stock, checkered.
View Historic Prices
Grading 100% - $853, 98% - $635, 95% - $605, 90% - $550, 80% - $495, 70% - $440, 60% - $415
Add 20% for ejectors.

Nice piece!!! Your chokes should make for a good dove, quail, and maybe pheasant.
 
#12 ·
I shot some clay with it today. Pointed beautifully. I haven't shot a lot of clay and have only ever used my cheapo single shot and some hunting style semi autos. This was somehow nicer. It was very natural. My friend keeps trying to get me to go hunting with him. I might have to.

Don't worry I am not going to cut it down.
 
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