[Zeke Menuar]

While down in the People's Republick of Eugenestan today, my wife spotted a very unique looking SxS 12ga.

It is a 24" barrelled gun of Spanish origin. Never heard of the manufacturer before. It has good lock-up, good triggers, mirror bore etc. Very nice gun. The catch you ask??? According to the gunshop the choke in both barrels is cylinder bore? Was it common to have a SxS in cylinder bore? Are the guys in the shop wrong? It is priced very reasonable, seems like a good gun.

The dealbreaker came when I asked about what was the minimum barrel wall thickness necessary to thread for choke tubes. The general consensus was the barrel wall thickness wasn't enough to thread for choke tubes, so I passed. I didn't have my calipers to measure the wall thickness. Just what is the minimum measurement to safely thread for tubes?

Compared to the Baikals in the shop, this gun was a much better piece. Better balance and just felt better than the Russian guns.

I have to go back down there in a couple of weeks to wring out my latest Mosin and blast some clay pigeons. Might get the gun anyway if it is still there...............Maybe.

Got no use for another shotgun but that hasn't stopped me before.

ZM

[kudu]

You didn't say the price on this gun Zeke, but a pair of cylinder bores would be dandy on the skeet range. What was the manufacturer?

[PJR]

Was it common to have a SxS in cylinder bore?
The only time it's "common" to have two cylinder chokes is after the barrels are cut. If the gunshop is trying to tell you otherwise then they either they don't know much about shotguns or are lying SOB's.

Sxs guns most commonly come with barrels with different chokes. One of the advantages of a gun with two triggers and different chokes is instantaneous choke selection. It's not impossible the gun came with two cylinder chokes from the factory but it's not very likely.

There is way to tell if these guys are giving you the straight goods. Check the proof marks on the barrels. If it is a genuine cylinder choke, both will have the mark "cyl". If either has what appear to be asteriks (*) or small stars, count them. 1 asterisk stands for full choke, 2 for IM, 3 for Mod, 4 for IC. If the number of asterisks isn't the same on both barrels then you know the gun came from the factory with different chokes in both barrels.

As for choke tubing the gun, contact Briley. They are the experts at it and can tell you what's possible and what isn't.

If if you get the name of the manufacturer and post it here someone might have some insight on the gun. Spanish guns are like Spanish wines. Some are very good, others leave a lot to be desired.

Paul

[Zeke Menuar]

I should have gotten the name of the maker. I was in a complete and irreversible state of dumbfoundedness when my wife went straight to that SxS and said we should buy it. She said it looked cool and had nice wood. I had to check her ID to be sure I had the right "Imperial Red-Headed Scorpio". I was also cussing out Bubba for butchering up a perfectly good '41 GRI SMLE. I might still buy that gun and restock and restore it, but that topic belongs elsewhere.

They are asking $179.00 for the SxS.

It dawned on me later that it might make a nice coach gun. I don't need a coach gun but I have wanted one for awhile. I'll be heading back down there next weekend. I'll get a manufacturers name and any other important info.

A coach gun would look kinda strange next to a bunch of commie infantry rifles and milsurps, but what the heck.

Thanks
ZM

[Dave McCracken]

Spanish guns run the gamut from very good to the sort of junk one hopes one's enemies use.

24" isn't a common barrel length. And C/C isn't a common choke combo. My guess, this was pruned after some sort of muzzle damage. Might make a nice coach gun or Lupara.

The ring test may prevent you from amking a costly mistake. Disassemble and hang the barrels off your finger. Thump them lightly with a pencil or knuckle. If they ring with a clear tone, fine. A dull thud or buzzing means they're unsoldering. Shun these.

[Zeke Menuar]

I readily admit to being a shotgun novice.
I decided to pass on this one for now. I usually try to research guns that interest me more thoroughly. Impulse buying just gets me in trouble. Especially if I know nothing about the type of gun in general. If it was a Mosin or a 1911, I could have made a more informed decision without doing a ton of research.
If the gun was meant for me, it can sit for awhile until I can research it more.

It still handles better than the commie shotguns. It doesn't have the idiot warnings on the barrel either. That scores several brownie points with me right off the bat.
Maybe I'll hold out for a Stevens 311 or something similar.

New job, more money, decisions, decisions.........................................

Thanks
ZM

[Spinner]

While this gun may have cylinder chokes in both barrels, that doesn't mean you can't manipulate the pattern from either barrel.

Harder shot deforms less during the act of being launched out of the barrel so chilled shot in one barrel and extra hard shot in the other and you'll have two different patterns .... the first will be much wider than the second.

If you reload, you have the opportunity to tailor loads to the different tasks and patterns that you want. If not your choices are more limited, but its still not impossible to manipulate things by trial and testing of different loads ..... might mean spending some time at the pattern board though. Competition ammunition tends to have very hard shot, cheap promo ammunition tends to have softer shot.

If the ring test comes out OK, it sounds like you have the makings of a nice Lupara ...... and with the blessings of the significant other as well. Life is sweet. :)

Spinner

[m14nut]

couple of real nice shotguns on this site...
www.oldguns.net
but ssshh, don't let the secret out about this site. From time to time they have a good deal or two....;)

Try here too...
Having a shotgun sale...

www.sarcoinc.com

[sm]

Lupara ,Lupara , Lupara I vote Lupara !! :D

Now that we have established *wink* this thing was "altered" - and you are better educated , do the ring test ....and let the wifey do the "dealing" . Just because I'm a girl , don't mean I don't know that this gun has been 'smithed...gimme that thing ..I want to do a "ring test" ...whaddaya mean you dont know what a ring test is ... If it passes the ring test- throw a $140 on the counter and ....wait. Ring the bbls a few more times, while waiting. :p

I was married to a redhead - once.
I spent 35+ years in a retail / dealing with the public - trust me on this. :p

Spinner!!
Been reading that dadburned book some more - haven't you? OMG - I have created a monster....:D

No offense to red heads, wifey's or whatever else I stepped in. IME/IME sometimes you gotta use the right tool for the task. This includes red headed wifey's . :D