I was in Bangalore recently and stayed at the Leela Palace (highly recommended). My driver was taking me to my office and I saw one of their guards outside with a leather strap attached to the barrel and stock of an old English Side x Side 12 gauge shotgun. I didn't get a chance to take a pic or stop, but it was once obviously a very high quality rifle from one of Britain's finest. I'm going to be there in April again and intend to find the man on foot and get a photo of his rifle.

Any bets on who the maker is? (I don't know)

quote:

Originally posted by Austin Hunter:
I was in Bangalore recently and stayed at the Leela Palace (highly recommended). My driver was taking me to my office and I saw one of their guards outside with a leather strap attached to the barrel and stock of an old English Side x Side 12 gauge shotgun. I didn't get a chance to take a pic or stop, but it was once obviously a very high quality rifle from one of Britain's finest. I'm going to be there in April again and intend to find the man on foot and get a photo of his rifle.

Any bets on who the maker is? (I don't know)

I'm confused, was this a shotgun or a rifle?

........................

Shotgun.

I assume that folks that have an eye for fine British weapons, whether double rifles or sidexside shotguns, might find this to be interesting on this particular forum.

I will also try to find a pic of a guy in India with a double rifle as well on my next trip. I just hope it to doesn't have a leather strap grafted to the barrel and butt stock.

Photos will be great if you can get them next time.

There's nothing wrong or out of character with a sling on a Brit (or any other) double rifle, perhaps more appropriate for tropical climate would be a cotton mesh sling.


Do you have anything else to say in description of the SxS gun you saw?
Was it a top lever or underlever, sidelock/back action/bar action, hammer or hammerless, straight/pistol/princeOfWales grip..?
Did you see the buttplate? Was it rubber or horn or steel?
Did you see the forend?
Could you tell what the latch or attachment feature was?

Did you get a look at the rib?
Was it swamped or flat, did you see the front (or rear if present) sights?



Cheers
Tinker

Frequently, there is a "guard" posted in small banks in India.....carrying an ancient single-shot shotgun. I've never seen a decent gun in their hands, but I HAVE seen decent old English doubles in many places in India.

quote:

Originally posted by a.tinkerer:
Photos will be great if you can get them next time.

There's nothing wrong or out of character with a sling on a Brit (or any other) double rifle, perhaps more appropriate for tropical climate would be a cotton mesh sling.


Do you have anything else to say in description of the SxS gun you saw?
Was it a top lever or underlever, sidelock/back action/bar action, hammer or hammerless, straight/pistol/princeOfWales grip..?
Did you see the buttplate? Was it rubber or horn or steel?
Did you see the forend?
Could you tell what the latch or attachment feature was?

Did you get a look at the rib?
Was it swamped or flat, did you see the front (or rear if present) sights?



Cheers
Tinker

It was a quick drive by from about 20 feet, but enough to tell it was of high quality.origin. It looked like a sidelock. thinking back, it could have been a 10 gauge, or maybe it was that the guy carrying it was awfully small. The sling was attached to the barrels, not the front forearm, so assume this was hacked together. Definitely had a solid buttplate of some sort (horn or metal). Wood looked to be of pretty high quality as well. The entire thing was also engraved.

I will try and find them next time. Or better yet, put the word out that anyone that has a fine rifle or shotgun, show up at the hotel at an appointed time for a picture and I will give them a tip. I will probably get a 100 guys showing up!!

The big question - if one of these guys could sell one of these (very doubtful) how could I import into the states?

quote:

Originally posted by Austin Hunter:
The big question - if one of these guys could sell one of these (very doubtful) how could I import into the states?

The big issue is not getting it into the US, it's getting it out of India.

I could think of better things to spend my time on.

.

Hunter-

quote:

Originally posted by Austin Hunter:
...The sling was attached to the barrels, not the front forearm, so assume this was hacked together...

You wouldn't find a sling swivel in the forend wood of a Brit double, the proper place for a sling loop is forward of the forend, on the bottom rib.



Cheers
Tinker

quote:

Originally posted by 500N:

quote:

Originally posted by Austin Hunter:
The big question - if one of these guys could sell one of these (very doubtful) how could I import into the states?

The big issue is not getting it into the US, it's getting it out of India.

I could think of better things to spend my time on.

.

+1

there are still quite a few very nice and beautyfull high end guns and rifles in india but getting them out is an entirely different matter, also the work done to them after they arrived in india can be heartbreaking to say the least, i have an alex henry 12 bore rifle that was worked over in india, i estimate that it will be another year and a half before i dare to shoot it as it is supposed to

best

peter