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How About A Nice English Hammergun

Sako Collectors Club Discussion Forum

kirkbridgershooters

Well-Known Member
I bought this several years ago. It is a George Daw 12 bore that was made in 1867. This is the original piece of wood on this gun and it is one of the earliest centerfire cartridge guns ever made. George Daw has a patent on the Center fire cartridge design.

Remember this gun was made in 1867...

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Here are some better pictures of the wood and engraving. It is the original wood, the barrels have been resleeved. English shotguns are typically resleeved when they become worn or loose. When a gun is this old, you can bet they have gotten some wear. This gun, however, is way above the average for condition of a gun this old.

Steven Dodd Hughes did an article in the "Shooting Sportsman" magazine on this gun. I do shoot it and hunt with it...

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Here are some better pictures of the wood and engraving. It is the original wood, the barrels have been resleeved. English shotguns are typically resleeved when they become worn or loose. When a gun is this old, you can bet they have gotten some wear. This gun, however, is way above the average for condition of a gun this old.

Steven Dodd Hughes did an article in the "Shooting Sportsman" magazine on this gun. I do shoot it and hunt with it...

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Beautiful shotgun in incredible condition for its age. Very nice gobblers too.

I have a CG Bonehill 12 Gauge from between 1872 and 1891 and it really shows its age. An economy, entry level next to your beautiful shotgun. The blueing is gone,the checkering is almost gone and it has its bumps and bruises but I am still very fond of it. It still shoots well and the barrels are still a very tight fit against the face. The Damascus or twisted barrels are always something special in an old shotgun.

The English shotguns are works of art. Every so often I google for images of Purdey shotguns. The prices are enough to make
your eyes water.
 
Kirk, those are both quite beautiful! The G. Daw makes me drool! I have to agree that some of the English doubles are among the most beautiful firearms ever produced!

While I don't own an English version, I do have a Parker .20, a Ferlib .410 (Italian), an L. Santina Bernardelli .10ga (also Italian), an AYA .410 (Spanish) and a couple of Winchester Model 21s, one of which (the .20ga) has an extra .410 barrel set. I have both heard it said and read that even many an Englishman agreed that the Model 21 was among the finest doubles made on the planet.

Just out of curiosity, you don't shoot that Colt, do you? I can't recall that I've ever seen one, but sure wouldn't mind having one in the safe! I am a Colt fiend, but my passion is for the SAA six-shooters.
 
I am a Colt fiend, but my passion is for the SAA six-shooters
If you're both a Colt and a Sako enthusiast then you should watch for some of the Colt-Sako rifles to come up for sale. Some of them were put together in the U.S. on Sako actions by a contractor for Colt, while others (the Deluxes in particular) were completed by Sako with Sako-made barrels and stocks, but having Colt markings and emblems like the Rampant Colt figure.
 
If you're both a Colt and a Sako enthusiast then you should watch for some of the Colt-Sako rifles to come up for sale. Some of them were put together in the U.S. on Sako actions by a contractor for Colt, while others (the Deluxes in particular) were completed by Sako with Sako-made barrels and stocks, but having Colt markings and emblems like the Rampant Colt figure.

Not sure where I saw one - probably here on the forum - but if I remember correctly, isn't such an animal also sometimes referred to as "Coltsman?" My memory DOES play tricks on my, but for some reason that comes to mind.
 
I shoot all my guns, including the Colt Shotgun. I have a real liking for all kinds of Colts and own quite a few. This is a Colt New Service revolver in 38-40...

DSCN3844.JPG

A few Colt SAA...

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Man, now you're talkin'! Haha!

Are you gonna start the Colt Revolver Thread, or shall I? The SAA (don't own any Bisleys) is my kryptonite and I do have a nice little collection of some truly phenomenal examples. Most are 3rd Gen, but I do have a couple 2nd Gens, but no 1st. Have a US Firearms Mfg. 3 1/2", which is an exceptional firearm, as well.

Thanks for posting those!
 
I have a First Generation Bisley in 38-40 as well. You don't find many Colt revolvers in 38-40 with the 7 1/2 inch barrel. That is what makes the long barreled 38-40s so scarce. The New Service with the 7 1/2 inch barrel is real rare too...

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Here are some original Colt rifles in 38-40 and 44-40. These are all with original finish and made in the 1880's. The 2 lower guns are first models without the dust cover and the SRC is exceptional in condition...


DSCN2986.JPG

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Kirk, those are both quite beautiful! The G. Daw makes me drool! I have to agree that some of the English doubles are among the most beautiful firearms ever produced!

While I don't own an English version, I do have a Parker .20, a Ferlib .410 (Italian), an L. Santina Bernardelli .10ga (also Italian), an AYA .410 (Spanish) and a couple of Winchester Model 21s, one of which (the .20ga) has an extra .410 barrel set. I have both heard it said and read that even many an Englishman agreed that the Model 21 was among the finest doubles made on the planet.

Just out of curiosity, you don't shoot that Colt, do you? I can't recall that I've ever seen one, but sure wouldn't mind having one in the safe! I am a Colt fiend, but my passion is for the SAA six-shooters.

Which model Aya .410 do you own ?
 
Which model Aya .410 do you own ?

Lenny, the model AYA (Aguirre Y Aranzabal) is the Matador. Here is a brief description:

Made in Spain. Nicely figured stocks. Light engraving on receiver. Gold AYA logo on breach tine. 28" barrels, both full-choked. Imported by Firearms International in Washington D.C. Date Code is C*1, which means it was manufactured in 1957. Looks brand new.

That is the description, along with some other less important information that I have in my database. I will post some photos when I get a chance.

One of my soft-spots in firearms is relatively fine shotguns in .410 (and to a lesser degree, .28ga). Why .410? It all started with a little Springfield Model 94B single shot, breech load .410 with which I learned to wing shoot. What is very "cool" about that 94B is this: that gun was purchased by my dad at the tender young age of 9 years old. He and my grandfather went into a Montgomery Wards (may have been a Sears) when dad was 8. He saw the $8 shotgun and begged his father to buy it for him, but it was a lost cause. So dad began delivering a newspaper type publication in the neighborhood for the next year and saved up the $8 to buy that shotgun. When they went back, the price had gone up a dollar. Dad was now 9 and so was the shotgun! My grandfather spotted the difference and the gun sits in my safe today! All of my brothers (including step-) learned wing shooting with that gun and it holds a very special place in all of our hearts and, now, in my collection. I guess you could say that that shotgun is where it all began in my family. My father was born in 1931, so it was 1939-1940 when he purchased it.

Dad became so proficient with it that he never needed to shoot anything more than a .410 at dove, quail or skeet, although he acquired many a shotgun in all gauges over the years. But his favorite became the Winchester model 42. He was so deadly with the 42 that he won the only tournament he ever entered (an Invitational) with one back in the late eighties or early nineties against a field of shooters all shouldering the typical 12ga o/u Berettas, Browning Citoris, etc. He tied with one other gentleman (shooting a Beretta 12 o/u) and in the shoot-off, the Beretta guy dropped a bird, but dad got 'em all to take the victory. What was so funny about it was that all the contestants laughed at my dad when he showed up with a little ol' pump .410, asking him, "What the h*ll you gonna do with THAT little thing?"

My brother and I both followed in his path with the 42 and have used them in the field ever since. I now have four of them and love, love, love those shotguns. Aside from the 42s and the previously mentioned AYA, Ferlib (one of the most beautiful long guns I own) and the Winchester 21 .410, I also have a 1967 Superposed o/u, a Remington model 1100 (not a fan of semi-auto shotguns), a Remington 870 Wingmaster (part of a Matched Pair that's missing its sibling), the little ol' Springfield from dad's youth, and a New England Firearms "Pardner" single shot breech that was recently given me by a friend.
 
Kirk ~ Beautiful Colts! I can now say with certainty that "Lightning" often strikes multiple times in the same place!

I forgot to ask what kind of cartridges you use in the Colt double with the Damascus barrels. I would think today's more powerful loads might compromise the steel.
 
Last edited:
Lenny, the model AYA (Aguirre Y Aranzabal) is the Matador. Here is a brief description:

Made in Spain. Nicely figured stocks. Light engraving on receiver. Gold AYA logo on breach tine. 28" barrels, both full-choked. Imported by Firearms International in Washington D.C. Date Code is C*1, which means it was manufactured in 1957. Looks brand new.

That is the description, along with some other less important information that I have in my database. I will post some photos when I get a chance.

One of my soft-spots in firearms is relatively fine shotguns in .410 (and to a lesser degree, .28ga). Why .410? It all started with a little Springfield Model 94B single shot, breech load .410 with which I learned to wing shoot. What is very "cool" about that 94B is this: that gun was purchased by my dad at the tender young age of 9 years old. He and my grandfather went into a Montgomery Wards (may have been a Sears) when dad was 8. He saw the $8 shotgun and begged his father to buy it for him, but it was a lost cause. So dad began delivering a newspaper type publication in the neighborhood for the next year and saved up the $8 to buy that shotgun. When they went back, the price had gone up a dollar. Dad was now 9 and so was the shotgun! My grandfather spotted the difference and the gun sits in my safe today! All of my brothers (including step-) learned wing shooting with that gun and it holds a very special place in all of our hearts and, now, in my collection. I guess you could say that that shotgun is where it all began in my family. My father was born in 1931, so it was 1939-1940 when he purchased it.

Dad became so proficient with it that he never needed to shoot anything more than a .410 at dove, quail or skeet, although he acquired many a shotgun in all gauges over the years. But his favorite became the Winchester model 42. He was so deadly with the 42 that he won the only tournament he ever entered (an Invitational) with one back in the late eighties or early nineties against a field of shooters all shouldering the typical 12ga o/u Berettas, Browning Citoris, etc. He tied with one other gentleman (shooting a Beretta 12 o/u) and in the shoot-off, the Beretta guy dropped a bird, but dad got 'em all to take the victory. What was so funny about it was that all the contestants laughed at my dad when he showed up with a little ol' pump .410, asking him, "What the h*ll you gonna do with THAT little thing?"

My brother and I both followed in his path with the 42 and have used them in the field ever since. I now have four of them and love, love, love those shotguns. Aside from the 42s and the previously mentioned AYA, Ferlib (one of the most beautiful long guns I own) and the Winchester 21 .410, I also have a 1967 Superposed o/u, a Remington model 1100 (not a fan of semi-auto shotguns), a Remington 870 Wingmaster (part of a Matched Pair that's missing its sibling), the little ol' Springfield from dad's youth, and a New England Firearms "Pardner" single shot breech that was recently given me by a friend.

@Mongo44

Interesting story.
I also started hunting at an early age with a .410 single barrel with my father. I recently acquired an Aya S/S in .410 caliber - something you never see in my part of the world. The .410 / .22 combo`s are common but not in Aya. The S/S I bought dates from 1960 - 1965 ( source: Aya Serial Numbers And Historical Data). Beautifully engraved and in super condition. I cant wait
to hunt with it. Unfortunately the licencing process in this country is exhausting - 6 to 7 months is quite normal. The hunting associations, collectors, dealers and licence holders are constantly in court with the government over various licencing issues which exacerbates the problem. Our hunting season is only in may next year so perhaps I will have it licenced by then.

I am busy training two retrievers at present - a Labrador and a Springer Spaniel. The Labrador will be ready but the Springer will be a bit too young. It would have been great to introduce them to guns with the .410. I used my .22 and stepped up to my .243 to .308 and finally the 12 gauge which worked very well. I introduced my Labrador to birds a few weeks ago and he behaved like a veteran. The look on his face with a bird in his mouth says it all: 001.JPG 007.JPG 032.JPG 036.JPG
 
Man, those are some beautiful pups!! I have always had Labs, but had a Springer a long time ago, as well. Wonderful companions! Love the photos!

I'm going to pull the AYA and snap some shots for ya. What's that sxs in the photo?
 
Man, those are some beautiful pups!! I have always had Labs, but had a Springer a long time ago, as well. Wonderful companions! Love the photos!

I'm going to pull the AYA and snap some shots for ya. What's that sxs in the photo?

@mongo

Thank you. I have had gun dogs since I was a kid - with a Springer and a Labrador always in the mix. Billy, the Labrador is 13 months old and Scampy, the Springer, is 5 months old. I have been extremely lucky with both dogs, especially the Labrador - he is a retrieving addict. I still use the book written by James Lamb Free - "Training Your Retriever", an author from the USA. I got the book in the 70`s and I still use it sometimes.

I would like to see pics of your Aya. I would reciprocate but my Aya is with the dealer until I am issued with the licence.

The S/S in the pic is also a Spanish shotgun - an Astra Unceta Y Cia, originally called Esperenza Y Unceta which was bought by a Swiss company in 2008, 100 years after they were established. A magnificent firearm in superb condition. In my humble opinion nothing comes close to English and Spanish shotguns from the 50`s / 60`s.
 

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