LOL, So did I Bill. Flew 'em too with .049 engines. Xacto knives, balsa, tissue and dope. That was my youth between age 10 and 12. LOL
The Gun Case Thread
- Thread starter Londonshooter
- Start date
LOL, So did I Bill. Flew 'em too with .049 engines. Xacto knives, balsa, tissue and dope. That was my youth between age 10 and 12. LOL
I've considered balsa wood Bill, it's easy to find at Michaels craft stores, hobby shops and Windsor Plywood and not too expensive. The only downside would be strength and hardness but this is offset by ease of cutting and shaping. It should be very good for non structural components. Next time I'm in the city I'll pick some up and experiment with it, I now have two project cases under way.
Over the years I acquired a few cases that were too far gone to resurrect so I reluctantly put them down - mercy killing. However, even the worst, rattiest, foul, beat up piece of junk can supply usable parts to be perhaps used in other restorations. I have kept the boxes and lids for the flat thin wood, partitions to be reshaped and reused, leather, canvas, blocking, interior baize lining, and the biggest prizes: straps, handles, buckles, brass corners, wrist straps, cleaning rod retainers and locks. Some examples.....
Yup, to me this hardware is good stuff. This is representative of what I have on hand right now, you'll notice no straps, wrist straps or case handles, hard to get and the first parts to be re used. Some new hardware bits as well as reproduction labels are available from Peter Dyson in the UK. Some components ( of lower quality) as well as new cases are also available from Galazan in the US but they won't ship anything to Canada, not even a paper labet so you need to go through a friend or relative in the US. Cape Outfitters has decent cases, a small number of labels and a few case repair parts. They will ship to Canada and are great to deal with.
Correct Bill, most Perazzi cases are made for them by Negrini. Also used by a number of other Italian makers for their upscale guns and also marketed by Negrini themselves. Excellent quality, they still aren't having them made cheaper in China. Yet.
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I thought that I had posted this one but I can't find it so here goes again. This is a hand made tooled cowhide full length carry case purchased by myself in Mexico in about 1976. It is hand laced with wide leather lacing and lined with shearling. I haven't seen anything of this quality in Mexico for many years but they have marvellous leather artisans and I'm sure that a person could have something like this custom made. Yes, it will hold a scoped rifle but I sometimes use it for my Heym 20G/7mmR combination so it qualifies as shotgun I think.
Londonshooter
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- SW Ontario
Here's a canvas-covered case from 1875. Unrestored, yet still decent condition.
I was provided a letter from David Baker (Author of Thomas Horsley: Gunmaker of York) stating date of manufacture was 1875 and built for “Hon. HRO Powlett”. This was Honourable, Henry Robert Orde-Powlett. Son of William Henry, the 3rd Baron Bolton. Henry Robert was born 20th September 1846, died 9th February 1915 at age 68. He obtained M.A. at Oxford and was a practising Barrister. His father’s estate included Bolton Castle (now a ruin)
and family home was Wensley Hall in Leyburn, Yorkshire.
Bolton Hall was a prestigious grouse moor owned by Baron Bolton.
I was provided a letter from David Baker (Author of Thomas Horsley: Gunmaker of York) stating date of manufacture was 1875 and built for “Hon. HRO Powlett”. This was Honourable, Henry Robert Orde-Powlett. Son of William Henry, the 3rd Baron Bolton. Henry Robert was born 20th September 1846, died 9th February 1915 at age 68. He obtained M.A. at Oxford and was a practising Barrister. His father’s estate included Bolton Castle (now a ruin)
and family home was Wensley Hall in Leyburn, Yorkshire.
Bolton Hall was a prestigious grouse moor owned by Baron Bolton.
Remarkable condition for a canvas case of this vintage, Londonshooter, a true rarity. I think the oldest dated canvas case I have had was from 1903 although a few others may have been older but not datable. The primary purpose of the gun case was to protect the contents ( the gun) and most of them were worn out doing this noble job. As a result, vintage gun cases are much scarcer than vintage guns.
Londonshooter
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- SW Ontario
On the topic of cool tools to keep in vintage cases are these for de-priming and re-priming cartridges. 3 different styles shown.
the bottom one is interesting in that it spears the spent primer from the base then pulls it out when the tool opens. The design makes it really easy to accidentally spear a live primer by squeezing the wrong handle pair when intending to prime.
the bottom one is interesting in that it spears the spent primer from the base then pulls it out when the tool opens. The design makes it really easy to accidentally spear a live primer by squeezing the wrong handle pair when intending to prime.
Londonshooter
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- SW Ontario
I have two cased sidelevers and in both the gun presents in the traditional way with butt to the right and lever on the underside. I think a side lever on the left makes more sense to break the gun with your left hand and extract/load with your right hand with the less consequential advantage that a traditional right-to-left case presentation showcases the lever.
Londonshooter, please send me a couple of pictures of the blocking used to accomodate the sde lever in the Horsley case. I have a project ongoing that needs this feature ( Dougall Lockfast) and I need some examples for inspiration. J.
Leg of mutton cases! I only have three left, but quite a few have been through here. Obviously the purpose of these cases is transportation,not display and when side by side doubles were the field shotgun of choice for many these cases were very popular. I still use mine sometimes for some types of hunting, but it seems less and less. There always seems to be a few at every gun show I attend, mostly between $100 and $200 and most are in rough shape, especially inside. They are a hard sell but I have included one gratis several times on a shotgun sale and this seems to be appreciated. Here are the three I have left. The first is the second fanciest one I have seen, hand tooled cowhide outer and full green coloured leather lining, lockable clasp on the lid. The second one is plain, a fairly standard case but the interior is as new - perfect. The third one is different and unusual, it will get a separate post.
The unusual third case. Too narrow for a side by side except a .410 or maybe a 28 and accomodating up to 33" barrels, this very slim case appears to be made for a over/under or perhaps a sinle barrelled gun. It's made of very fine leather and the design is unlike any British or American case I have seen. It even still has the key. It has a brass? Escutcheon plate with a coat of arms engraved which I was told was for a Danish noble family. I haven't had any success researching this crest so who knows? As good a theory as any I guess.
