6th Annual Upper Canada Double Gun Classic - Take Two!

It was a fantastic day!!,I shot my first round of embarrassment-I mean skeet ...meeting everyone in person was a highlight of the trip for me ,we're a small enthusiastic community and should always get together for this
 
I grabbed a few photos. First two are of a very handsomely engraved Merkel (I think). I didn’t get the name of the gentleman who’s table it was on, but I think he’s a gunsmith?


 
Next up, a gorgeous Purdey 12ga. with short (26” if I recall) barrels that weighed under 6#. It was on Canvasback’s table, so I’ll let him give more details.



This beauty was also on Canvasback’s table. I forget the maker, but the receiver really suits my personal taste. :)
 
Super day guys!
It was great to see everyone and all the guns.
I could have used more time catch up and to check out the guns.
It certainly was windy on the hill this year too.
Again, great to see everybody
 
Thank You for organizing this event .
This was my first time and I'm amazed by how many of these beautiful pieces of art survived , also realized how little I know about them
 
I’m glad you posted those pics Baron. That first gun may be my all time favorite. But it’s not a Merkel although it is German, by a maker called Bartel.

And the 12 gauge Purdey is tailor made for the grouse and woodcock woods of central Ontario. A 1933 gun with open chokes on 25 1/2” barrels and weighing 6 pounds 3 oz.
 
There was some old guy going on and on about pin-fires... oh wait, that was me. Didn't take enough photos... but I grabbed one as I was packing up.

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Pin-fires are not everyone's cup of tea, I'll admit, but interest was shown in a few choice pieces and rare designs:

A Westley Richards with the 1862-patent pull-lever:
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A Needham 1862-patent side-lever, on a bar-in-wood gun by John Blissett:
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A Boss & Co. single, one of only three the firm made:
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There were a few royal treats (a gun by Queen Victoria's gunmaker, Parker, Field & Sons, and a gun by Prince Albert's gunmaker, Edward Paton), a fine Holland whose owner possessed much of Wales, and a very early Beringer action on an 1850s gun by Robert Marrison, the inspiration for all British lever-over-guard actions that were to come:
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Eye-catching was a Francotte shoulder punt gun, or stalking-horse gun, with a 50-inch twist barrel, weighing in at 14 pounds. There was a pristine Robert Adams percussion double, a Dougall Lockfast, and several others, but not all were easily-dismissed wall-hangers, as the Charles Lancaster 1853-patent slide-and-drop action had a most wonderful time at a round of skeet, a first for this gun, and for me:
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I did have time to drool over some very fine guns indeed: a classy Dougall side-lever, a cased Reilly, a pair of Lindner Daly's, and a most remarkable Lang. And that Turkish double .410 looked like a really fun gun! Altogether too many to name, if you haven't attended this event before, save time for it next year! Again, many thanks to the organizers for a very enjoyable event and day. They even arranged for the sun to shine.
 
Pinfire. That boss single and massive 10 were highlights of the show for me. As well as James Purdy as well. Just gorgeous

Next year feel free to shoot a round of skeet with my 410 and my side lever dougall
 
Well, a big thank you to all who came out. It was important to get this meet back on track after 2 years of Covid and we did that. Take a bow, everyone.

I'd like to start by making note of the contribution of Michael Parks (Parkspipes). Mike stepped up big time and helped me fill the void left by the departure of Patrick, the original instigator of the whole thing. It helped immensely that Michael is a member at Oshawa as it gave us a insider liaison with the club. As a side note, it was disappointing that our friend Patrick, (VictoryXC), wasn't able to join us this year but hopefully he'll get his scheduling skills worked out by next year. Hahaha!

There are two others I'd like to thank for helping to make the Classic a great success this year. The first is Chris Dawe, our "special guest star"!Laugh2 It's a long way from Conception Bay South but Chris made the trip and I think I can speak for all of us when I say what a pleasure it was to finally meet Chris in person. The second person I'd like to single out is Bryon Bennett (Brybenn) ......Bryon stepped up right at the start and filled in when I was late arriving (due to Chris spiking my drinks the night before :mad:). It was great to see when I finally did arrive...the helpful community spirit I think we all have about trying to make this thing work.

As usual there were a great array of guns to be ogled and fondled. For those who have attended in the past but didn't make it this time, hard to believe as it may be, Steve Nash's pinfire display was the best yet. That 10 gauge 14 pound behemoth was quite something! Claudio O brought some beautiful guns, as he usually does and there were many others. But the best part was getting together with some old friends who we haven't had a chance to see over the last couple years.

I'd also like to thank Mike and Susan Wood-Bohm from Between Seasons booksellers for joining us. They had a interesting display of books and I know I'm looking forward to when their website goes live. For anyone having difficulty finding a specific book, I know Mike would be happy to try to help you out.

And now, the winner of the 2022 Double Gun Classic Gun of the Year. A very interesting piece that kinda bucks the "vintage" trend of past winner. The Gun of the Year is Michael Parks' Famars by Abbiatico and Salvinelli. It is a 12 gauge Castore hammer gun made in 1974, with 29 1/2" long browned barrels choked mod/full, self-cocking hammers, ejectors and a top tang safety. Take a good look at the opening lever! It is a real eye catcher and I know Michael is pretty pleased with finding the gun. Congratulations Mike!







 
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This beauty was also on Canvasback’s table. I forget the maker, but the receiver really suits my personal taste. :)

Robert, that is a gun I haven't brought before and I really like it. It's a 1948 Deforney from Liege, Belgium. I got it from the daughter (grand-daughter?) of the man who bought it. She is a friend of mine that I've known for 40 years and she emigrated from Holland just before I met her. She told me the gun was bought from a store in Amsterdam.
 
Well, a big thank you to all who came out. It was important to get this meet back on track after 2 years of Covid and we did that. Take a bow, everyone.

I'd like to start by making note of the contribution of Michael Parks (Parkspipes). Mike stepped up big time and helped me fill the void left by the departure of Patrick, the original instigator of the whole thing. It helped immensely that Michael is a member at Oshawa as it gave us a insider liaison with the club. As a side note, it was disappointing that our friend Patrick, (VictoryXC), wasn't able to join us this year but hopefully he'll get his scheduling skills worked out by next year. Hahaha!

There are two others I'd like to thank for helping to make the Classic a great success this year. The first is Chris Dawe, our "special guest star"!Laugh2 It's a long way from Conception Bay South but Chris made the trip and I think I can speak for all of us when I say what a pleasure it was to finally meet Chris in person. The second person I'd like to single out is Byron Bennett (Brybenn) ......Byron stepped up right at the start and filled in when I was late arriving (due to Chris spiking my drinks the night before :mad:). It was great to see when I finally did arrive...the helpful community spirit I think we all have about trying to make this thing work.

As usual there were a great array of guns to be ogled and fondled. For those who have attended in the past but didn't make it this time, hard to believe as it may be, Steve Nash's pinfire display was the best yet. That 10 gauge 14 pound behemoth was quite something! Claudio O brought some beautiful guns, as he usually does and there were many others. But the best part was getting together with some old friends who we haven't had a chance to see over the last couple years.

I'd also like to thank Mike and Susan Wood-Bohm from Between Seasons booksellers for joining us. They had a interesting display of books and I know I'm looking forward to when their website goes live. For anyone having difficulty finding a specific book, I know Mike would be happy to try to help you out.

And now, the winner of the 2022 Double Gun Classic Gun of the Year. A very interesting piece that kinda bucks the "vintage" trend of past winner. The Gun of the Year is Michael Parks' Famars by Abbiatico and Salvinelli. It is a 12 gauge Castore hammer gun made in 1974, with 29 1/2" long browned barrels choked mod/full, self-cocking hammers, ejectors and a top tang safety. Take a good look at the opening lever! It is a real eye catcher and I know Michael is pretty pleased with finding it. Congratulations Mike!








That's pretty amazing, especially for 1974.
 
If anyone has some photos to add, please do.

Here are our two favorite gunsmiths......Claudio and Chris.


And here is Alvero (1963Beretta) and Michael (Parkspipes). Alvero is once again trying to sneak off with my MF Ideal!
 
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Thanks James for all of your efforts and contributions as well, the day was a success!
And if I may you are officially pardoned for showing up a little late, hung-over and with a Newfoundlander in tow to boot!!
Seriously though, it was a pleasure to meet ChrisDawe, and super cool we had an out-of-province attendee.
Bryon I'm echoing James in Thanking You for helping out with the sign-in forms, you were the Classic's clinch hitter.
Also Alvaro(1963Beretta) has foolishly let us know that he's a member of the club too, so next year we may very well have another pair of hands to pitch in :)

Thanks too for all those who voted for my new gun. I'm thrilled with this one, it's a beauty, and look forward to doing some shooting with it this Summer.

At the end of it all I just wish that I spent a little more time to check out all of the guns present.
I barely saw Pinfire's table for example.
So definitely that'll be in the plan for next year.
 
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Well, I’m envious. Really really envious. Again. And it looks like you had great weather too. The guns are magnificent and shooting is always fun but for me the highlight would be actually meeting and getting to know many on here that are only a digital acquaintance. Thanks for the great pictures, J.
 
thank you to James for organizing. My father and I had a great time. It was a pleasure seeing everyone and a double pleasure seeing Chris there.

The perogies were approved by my old grouchy Ukrainian Dad which is a true compliment to the chef. But I also noted to the chef that I haven't ever really tasted a bad perogy.

Thanks for this gentlemen and to the Oshawa Club for allowing the event to go on.
 
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