Each of the double rifle makers have their own way of engraving the barrels with the cartridge the rifle is chambered for, the makers name and other instructions. If you have pic's of yours or others and you'd like to share, lets see them.

Rhodes

Most vintage English double rifles have no chambering engraved on the barrels. Most just have the maker's name and address.
Chamberings were engraved on the barrel flats and had to follow the "Rules of Proof" that were enforce at the time the rifle was proofed at Birmingham.

Of course you are right Rusty. I have seen pictures of doubles with the chambering engraved on the top of the barrels or rib using the makers nomenclature for the cartridge. I also remember 450 NE No2 Tony posting that one of his doubles had sighting instructions engraved on the barrels. It is these sorts of things I was hoping to bring out with this thread.

Thanks for posting.

360 No.2 Greener. I guess that is obvious though.

Although not doubles...nice examples and the second does have the chambering engraved on it.

Very nice Huvius

What does the inscription on the left barrel read

"???? 360 No2 3" Case" ?

.

Ammunition (abbreviated) 360 N2 3in Case

Will see if I have a better picture of that.

I'm always surprised to see the compliments I hear about the older guns. Guns now are much more finely finished, whether a fine double or a custom 1911.

quote:

Originally posted by RyanB:
I'm always surprised to see the compliments I hear about the older guns. Guns now are much more finely finished, whether a fine double or a custom 1911.

Joking, right?

quote:

Originally posted by Huvius:

quote:

Originally posted by RyanB:
I'm always surprised to see the compliments I hear about the older guns. Guns now are much more finely finished, whether a fine double or a custom 1911.

Joking, right?

No. Gunmakers now have better attention to detail now than they did in the days of yore. I'm not talking about a $6,000 CNC gun from Turkey, I'm talking about high end guns.

quote:

No. Gunmakers now have better attention to detail now than they did in the days of yore. I'm not talking about a $6,000 CNC gun from Turkey, I'm talking about high end guns.

No offense, but you need to get out more...

Name a maker today that makes a rifle as fine as a best Alex Henry or George Gibbs.
Remember, the best vintage guns were made by gentlemen who spent their entire lives in their craft focusing on lock making, stocking, fitting, striking, engraving or finishing and became exemplary in their respective work.
Take a good long look at (and shoot if possible) a classic best firearm and try to come up with any possible improvement.
Perfection cannot be improved upon.

quote:

Originally posted by RyanB:
I'm always surprised to see the compliments I hear about the older guns. Guns now are much more finely finished, whether a fine double or a custom 1911.

and some people would say that a Prius is a better car than a 1954 300SL. Thankfully I'm not one of them.

maybe this isn't the thread for you.....

.

quote:

Originally posted by Huvius:

quote:

No. Gunmakers now have better attention to detail now than they did in the days of yore. I'm not talking about a $6,000 CNC gun from Turkey, I'm talking about high end guns.

No offense, but you need to get out more...

Name a maker today that makes a rifle as fine as a best Alex Henry or George Gibbs.
Remember, the best vintage guns were made by gentlemen who spent their entire lives in their craft focusing on lock making, stocking, fitting, striking, engraving or finishing and became exemplary in their respective work.
Take a good long look at (and shoot if possible) a classic best firearm and try to come up with any possible improvement.
Perfection cannot be improved upon.

Not to mention still being fully functional 100+ years later for many.

No doubt there is nice stuff made today. But nothing, repeat nothing, threepeat NOTHING can compare with vintage items. Autos, rifles and shotguns, watches, etc., when made by hand with the love of the craftsman are far ahead of what is available today. Look at the wood to metal fit of a 100 year old Winchester and compare it to the wood to metal fit today.
I'm a traditionalist and biased, no doubt, but the proof is in the photos.
Cal
PS. I think it is a lame-assed excuse today when I hear, "We leave the wood proud in case it needs to be refinished in the future." It didn't need this lack of detail 100 years ago so why does it need it now?

Cal. I was at M.W. Reynolds today (mostly shotguns, but a couple real nice DR's). It's hard to argue your point.

I looked at a Joseph Lang 360ne today. Priced at 15k and made in 1908 ummmm...

For what I paid for my 3 merks, totally happy with the fit, finish and performance.

quote:

Originally posted by cal pappas:
No doubt there is nice stuff made today. But nothing, repeat nothing, threepeat NOTHING can compare with vintage items. Autos, rifles and shotguns, watches, etc., when made by hand with the love of the craftsman are far ahead of what is available today. Look at the wood to metal fit of a 100 year old Winchester and compare it to the wood to metal fit today.
I'm a traditionalist and biased, no doubt, but the proof is in the photos.
Cal
PS. I think it is a lame-assed excuse today when I hear, "We leave the wood proud in case it needs to be refinished in the future." It didn't need this lack of detail 100 years ago so why does it need it now?

Here Here!

quote:

Originally posted by cal pappas:
No doubt there is nice stuff made today. But nothing, repeat nothing, threepeat NOTHING can compare with vintage items. Autos, rifles and shotguns, watches, etc., when made by hand with the love of the craftsman are far ahead of what is available today. Look at the wood to metal fit of a 100 year old Winchester and compare it to the wood to metal fit today.
I'm a traditionalist and biased, no doubt, but the proof is in the photos.
Cal
PS. I think it is a lame-assed excuse today when I hear, "We leave the wood proud in case it needs to be refinished in the future." It didn't need this lack of detail 100 years ago so why does it need it now?

Again, I'm talking about best grade stuff, not mass market stuff. Yes I'd like to spend more time with old rifles, mostly I've spent time with old shotguns--Parkers, LC Smith, etc.

What really lead to this conclusion for me years ago was comparing Nastoff, Heinie and Swenson vintage guns to modern Heinie, Yost, Burton and Brian 1911s. We've come a long way, I think because what started out as a decorated tool is now a luxury good.

Hell, I even prefer modern watches to old ones, even in Submariners, which have barely changed in styling in decades. Mostly because the materials are better now.

I won't defend modern mass market crap, except to say the nice thing is that we can afford houses full of it, which is more than most people could do back in the day.

Parkers and Elsies are not Purdeys or Henry's

Over the past 100 years the cost of labor has risen while the cost of machining has fallen. Today, mass produced affordable firearms are of better quality than ever before. Hand-made, individualized, best quality firearms are being made with the same high quality as always but the cost has become less affordable. The gap between these two tiers remains wide and is occupied by a variety of firearms of differing qualities. There are several manufactures of less-than-best firearms who adamantly maintain their wares are just as good as the best. If only that were true.

Cal, you can still purchase a new firearm just as good as your old British doubles but today there is a considerably bigger cost leap to get there.

quote:

Originally posted by 9.3 X 75R:
Parkers and Elsies are not Purdeys or Henry's

I know. They are decent shotguns. I wouldn't mind hunting with one.

quote:

Originally posted by Grenadier:
Over the past 100 years the cost of labor has risen while the cost of machining and has fallen. Today, mass produced affordable firearms are of better quality than ever before. Hand-made, individualized, best quality firearms are being made with the same high quality as always but the cost has become less affordable. The gap between these two tiers remains wide and is occupied by a variety of firearms of differing qualities. There are several manufactures of less-than-best firearms who adamantly maintain their wares are just as good as the best. If only that were true.

Cal, you can still purchase a new firearm just as good as your old British doubles but today there is a considerably bigger cost leap to get there.

Agree entirely with this.

quote:

Originally posted by Grenadier:
Over the past 100 years the cost of labor has risen while the cost of machining and has fallen. Today, mass produced affordable firearms are of better quality than ever before. Hand-made, individualized, best quality firearms are being made with the same high quality as always but the cost has become less affordable. The gap between these two tiers remains wide and is occupied by a variety of firearms of differing qualities. There are several manufactures of less-than-best firearms who adamantly maintain their wares are just as good as the best. If only that were true.

Cal, you can still purchase a new firearm just as good as your old British doubles but today there is a considerably bigger cost leap to get there.

Grenadier:
My point exactly! Today one can pay through the nose to get quality that was every day in production and expected in the days of old. Now it is an option.
Cal

The trade to that being that people can afford manufactured goods in general now, whereas in the past they couldn't, or didn't have options.

I never thought of myself as a shit disturber.
I could not resist. Forgive me.
Cal

Shootacow hasn't been around much as of late... too bad... Miss making fun of him.

Nice pic Cal...

quote:

Originally posted by JDA-CO:
Shootacow hasn't been around much as of late... too bad... Miss making fun of him.

Nice pic Cal...

He did manage to mention that the Hemingway Double was not quite as nice as his Searcy in the SCI report thread.

That dude is a trip...

Shootaway is in Alaska visiting Jim and Brett. They asked him to come to teach them about double rifles and how to shoot.
Cal

quote:

Originally posted by cal pappas:
Shootaway is in Alaska visiting Jim and Brett. They asked him to come to teach them about double rifles and how to shoot.
Cal

No worries, we gave him the keys to your cabin Cal and lent him a dremel to adjust the sights on your rifles.

It is an honor and blessing to have such friends.
Cal

My close up photography skills obviously need some work. A Holland & Holland, Manton, Jos. Lang and Charles Boswell.

Tried to take a picture of the barrels on my Gibbs but nothing I could publish, here is what is engraved..
Left barrel chamber forward..
George Gibbs
450 3 1/4 Straight Taper Solid Metal Case..

Right Barrel chamber forward...
39 Corn Street Bristol..
70grs Cordite Powder 480grs Soft Nose Nickel Bullet...

Excellent pic's, very nice.

Thanks for the new additions.

Rhodes

.

This is the worst thread yet (well, almost)

It's like a girl showing only 3" of leg (not that 3").

I want to see more!

Thanks, Chris

quote:

Originally posted by cal pappas:
I never thought of myself as a shit disturber.
I could not resist. Forgive me.
Cal

Yes I did see your name tag at DSC.
Bill