I'm guessing the concept of having a "matched pair" of doubles comes from the old days of British shotgunning, where a shooter stood his post with with a loader and two guns, each of the same dimensions, so that the shooter was comfortable with each gun?

Forgive me if this question has an obvious answer. Any shotgun historians out there?

Best to you all........TWL.

There are essentially 3 categories of "pairs":
1)(True)Pair-2 guns made at same time by same maker to be identical in weight,dimensions
etc.Consecutive serial nos.
2)Matched pair-2 guns by same maker,constructed to be identical but made at different times.Not consecutive serial nos.
3)Composite pair-2 guns by same maker,not identical,in one case.
Then for the ultimate-triplicate or garniture:three identical guns cased together
.

I have two Merkel shotguns, Model 201E's. One 12gauge, 30" barrels, other is identical in design, engraving, quality of stocks, but is 28gauge, 26" barrels. S/N's are 5 digits apart. Other than gauge, barrel length and smaller scale frame/action, they are identical in appearance. Would not call them a "matched pair," more like the "Merkel Brothers," one just bigger than the other.

Matched pairs aren't just from the "old days of British shotgunning", using two shotguns

is a shooting method still in use today. It's typically seen on "driven hunts" & using a loader.

I just returned from a driven Red Grouse shoot in Scotland where I used a "true" or matched

pair of 12g over & unders. Here's a pic:



Having a loader with you at your peg (or grouse butt) not only

allows you to have more potential shots but he's helpful in visually picking up any incoming

birds & marking the downed birds as well. We had flocks of well over 100 grouse going

over us & having a matched pair with a loader really allowed for more shooting.

A flock of 50-100 grouse can go over your spot quickly, 3-4 seconds, so you want to make

the most of it!

Jim

they let you shoot O/U's on a driven hunt?

Rich,

I just held them sideways?

Apparently, O/U's are becoming more & more common on driven hunts.

Some say O/U's are superior on high driven birds because of their sight plane, but for driven Grouse,

it would be hard to beat a nice pair of SxS's, I had to make do with what I have in the gun safe.

Jim

A lovely pair on the heather.....
Who is the maker?
Are they a true pair or a matched pair?
A True pair and the time to use them has always been high on my Bucket List.

Zephyr,

They are Holland & Holland's, a true matched pair (one serial # apart, marked with #1 & #2

on the toplevers, top rib & the forend release). They are 30" barrels, which probably isn't

the best for driven grouse but I shoot them pretty well & they worked nicely for me this year.

I'm already trying to figure out how to return to Scotland next year! To me, driven

Red Grouse shooting is the pinnacle of wingshooting & I'm addicted!

Jim

quote:

There are essentially 3 categories of "pairs":
1)(True)Pair-2 guns made at same time by same maker to be identical in weight,dimensions
etc.Consecutive serial nos.
2)Matched pair-2 guns by same maker,constructed to be identical but made at different times.Not consecutive serial nos.
3)Composite pair-2 guns by same maker,not identical,in one case.
Then for the ultimate-triplicate or garniture:three identical guns cased together

Input from a "Brit" is that the above, KIM R, has pretty much nailed it 100%.

And correctly lists a pair as just that, a pair ,and not as some writers wrongly do as a matched pair.

Which as the poster says is, in fact, as at 2).

I'd say though that 3) is better known here as a "composed" pair. Or less so as a "companion" pair.

This is normally two guns, by the same maker, built as single guns with no intention for them to be a matched pair that have been then subsequently put together as a composed pair by one person. Indeed often they may have been originally made for two separate customers.

Usually, subsequently, as because they are happily very similar in weight and balance (and of course identical in barrel length) such that they either need no alteration (or very little other than in the stocking) they are then brought together as a composed pair as they will appear in use as identical to each other.

So cheaper that ordering a bespoke made to match gun to make a matched pair. But achieving the same end result.

Over and under guns are an "odd" thing here in Britain in that, as surmised, they weren't seen as being quite the thing.

Yet of course a pair of over and under Boss guns, or Woodward guns, was right at the top of the tree for being something only the most wealthy could aspire to.

Nowadays here in Britain it almost seems to be that the "odd man out" at many formal shoots will now be the one that isn't using an over and under.

There have been pairs (as in "true" pairs) of hammerguns, hammer ejector guns, boxlock guns, over and under guns usually by Boss and of course sidelock guns. Pairs of boxlocks are actually quite rare as a pairs of hammerguns. Yet these have survived (together as a pair) more than pairs of hammerguns have.

Lots of pairs of hammerguns may have been made but usually when the hammerless guns were invented these pairs of hammerguns were split and given to estate servants.

I've shot driven grouse in my past. Next best thing is driven partridge over what is know as a "Norfolk belt'. Which is a thick hedge about ten or so feet high. A pair of guns would be used also for that if the host advised it.

Thanks,es!For whatever reason "matched pair"seems to have developed an erronious cachet.If the phrase has 2 adjectives it MUST be better than having just one whereas the opposite is true here.

I've even seen, not as rare as you'd thik, but not common, pairs that have then become a "matched trio" where "1" and "2" were built as a (true) pair and then "3" commissioned at a later date so with a later non sequential serial number.

quote:

Originally posted by Jungleboy:
Matched pairs aren't just from the "old days of British shotgunning", using two shotguns

is a shooting method still in use today. It's typically seen on "driven hunts" & using a loader.

I just returned from a driven Red Grouse shoot in Scotland where I used a "true" or matched

pair of 12g over & unders. Here's a pic:



Having a loader with you at your peg (or grouse butt) not only

allows you to have more potential shots but he's helpful in visually picking up any incoming

birds & marking the downed birds as well. We had flocks of well over 100 grouse going

over us & having a matched pair with a loader really allowed for more shooting.

A flock of 50-100 grouse can go over your spot quickly, 3-4 seconds, so you want to make

the most of it!

Jim

Good morning.....I'd like to hunt grouse in Scotland in 2022 but I'd prefer cooler weather. Are the birds as plentiful once the temps drop off? Can you recommend an outfitter? Also, my preference would be walked up rather then driven if possible. Thank you sir.

Damn! Am I the only one who thought about Boobs??!!
Peter.

quote:

Originally posted by KimR:
Thanks,es!For whatever reason "matched pair"seems to have developed an erronious cachet.If the phrase has 2 adjectives it MUST be better than having just one whereas the opposite is true here.

I have also been using the term matched pair incorrectly.

We actually had a client bring a “true pair” of Holland & Holland .410s to Argentina. I was delighted to see them, but scared for their fate. Yes, they did fall victim to the volume. We were able to nervously do a little field repair to get them running again.

That’s why we encourage people to kill our guns, not theirs! We had some champion columbarie shooters bring their own A400 stocks to put on our guns, but that’s extreme.

The term is not incongruous, if used correctly. A "pair" is just two similar items; your "pair" of gloves or shoes certainly isn't "matching". Not since the early 1700s anyway. But they are still pairs.
So, for the proper English Sporting Gentleman, the Matched Pair, MUST be identical in every way. Made as a set from the start, and used as described above.
For them to differ in any way, would be gauche, and suitable only for the uncultured, lower class of people.
As are the hideous things with the barrels sitting one on top of the other. No.

I own a “Pair” of Cogswell & Harrison 12 Bores that are identical in measurements, one made in 1886 and the other in 1887. They are the Avant Tout Models and are really fine shotguns. It took me several years to collect these two, and although they have side plates, they are true box locks with nice engraving. Beautiful guns and great shooters.

I have a "match pair" of 870's they both look and handle the same.

I shoot them equally as well.

Modern production shotguns are very every similar to each other.

quote:

I have a "match pair" of 870's they both look and handle the same.

Plebian!
Peter.

quote:

Originally posted by Peter:

quote:

I have a "match pair" of 870's they both look and handle the same.

Plebian!
Peter.

I bow to your greater superiority.

But then I have said real shotguns have two barrels the best are SXS's.

I own more
SXS's the other types.

I have a couple of SxS shotguns. One is a Savage 20ga. that I bought new these many years ago and have not used in a while. But I also have a CSMC RBL Launch Edition 20 ga SxS with fitted case etc. that is a beautiful gun and I use occasionally to shoot skeet. It invariably causes favorable comments. It does have a pistol grip!!
Peter.
BTW, no need to bow. A simple genuflection will suffice!

I have a "pair" of Browning Citori White Lightning shotguns in 28 and .410 that are identical in every way except for the gauge/bore and serial numbers.

Bought them at the same time from the same gun store.

I've been looking for some time for a nice case that will take two shotguns, broken down--two receivers, two barrels, two fore-ends.

quote:

Originally posted by Nitro Express:
I have a "pair" of Browning Citori White Lightning shotguns in 28 and .410 that are identical in every way except for the gauge/bore and serial numbers.

Bought them at the same time from the same gun store.

I've been looking for some time for a nice case that will take two shotguns, broken down--two receivers, two barrels, two fore-ends.

Jeff’s Outfitters sells these two Gun cases and they are nice. I have such a case for my pair of Cogswell &Harrisons. Reasonably priced.

A very good video on Double Gunning. Ok it's on simulated driven - ie lots of clay pigeons being encourged to fly over the guns, rather than lots of phaesants.

But it really shows the fire power of even a pair of hammer non-ejectors.

https://youtu.be/TAzONZ59N38