Which english shotgun is best

[Shabbu9x9]

Hi, I need help to buy old english shotgun . I have choices to buy wable & scot 28" 700 model, w w greenar 32" and A G parker all shotgun is englis side by side 12 bore all are good condition. Please suggest me witch one to buy
Thanks

[Vikram]

Apart from the make and model, condition is the most important aspect. I assume the Parker you speak of is a Parker-Hale?

Do post clear photos of the guns here. Also, check this thread for tips on inspecting a used gun for mechanical soundness.

https://www.indiansforguns.com/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=458

[Shabbu9x9]

W&S 700 model boxlock 28 inch 12 bore and w w greenar Empire boxlock 32 inch 12 bore and parker hale 30 inch 12 bore boxlock all shotgun condition is good . I want to know witch made is good because all gun good and no matter for prize.

[Vikram]

Both the W&S and Greener are very good guns. Parker-Hale mostly imported Spanish guns and sold them under their name. Pick and handle both guns and see how you like they handle, 28" and 32". Ultimately, in India, I would pick the gun that is in functionally best condition than the name and model.

[Nazeedanish]

W.j jeffry is best

Sent from my HM 1S using Tapatalk

[Shabbu9x9]

w w greenar 32 inch boxlock please sand full details of this gun

[Vikram]

w w greenar 32 inch boxlock please sand full details of this gun

Could you post photos of the barrel flats showing proof marks, serial number, muzzles, and also insides of the barrels?

To me, the barrels were pitted and they were smoothed out and reblued.

[Shabbu9x9]

Please zoom the pic you will see proof marks, serial number, muzzles inside barrel pic I don't have. But you are right barrel is reblued

[Vikram]

Please zoom the pic you will see proof marks, serial number, muzzles inside barrel pic I don't have. But you are right barrel is reblued

Proofmarks are not visible at all. By the serial number, it was made in the 1960s, before 1967.

You really need to check the condition of the barrels inside, for any action play,etc. I posted a link above on how to check a used gun for yourself. It is quite easy if you read it. Buying a gun without looking it and checking it in person is not really advisable in Indian market. Many people just don't know how to store a gun properly and rust and pitting are not uncommon.

You better check it in person than rely on what the dealer tells you.

[Shabbu9x9]

Hi Vikram sir
Today I see R B Rodaa 30 inch safty shotgun please tall me abught this gun

[Vikram]

Hi Vikram sir
Today I see R B Rodaa 30 inch safty shotgun please tall me abught this gun

Rodda imported guns from various makers and retailed them in India. Without clear photos, little could be said about any specific gun. You need to provide clear photos taken in sunlight for any kind of meaningful inputs from our members. Good luck.

[ASIF007]

w w greenar 32 inch boxlock please sand full details of this gun

Shabbu do tell me how is your WW Greener. Many shooters here in Kolkata are extremely proud of it. Did you fire it? What was your purchase price if you can share

[eljefe]

As Vikram said . Read THIS, come back and ask questions if you need help understanding these instructions.
Then go and check out the guns you mentioned, if there are any faults as in the advice sheet.
You may like the Greener, but if it’s loose on the face, or has a faulty safety, then what?
Re bluing of shotguns to increase sale value is very common. It’s like seeing a Morris minor or Landmaster car with a shiny paint job and not opening the bonnet to check on engine, or taking it for a test drive to hear any odd noises or steering fault! Agree?

Grumpy, who has written this, is a very very knowledgeable gunsmith from UK. And I would listen to him.

The first thing that you should do is count the barrels......you don`t want to be short changed !

Remove the fore-end and close the gun. Hold the gun firmly at the wrist with one hand and about half way along where the fore-end would have been with the other and firmly try to move the barrels relative to the action - up, down and sideways. There should be no movement. If there is the gun will shoot "off the face" and will need "rejointing". This isn't a hugely expensive process but needs doing properly. A loose barrel/action joint however is an indicator of a very worn gun.




Make sure the barrels aren`t pitted or, if there is any pitting. it should be very light and shallow.

Refit the fore-end and check that is is held positively. The latch should work positively but smoothly.

Check that the top lever works positively and smoothly with very little stray movement. Be very suspicious of a lever that has free play. The top lever should centre - approximately - when the gun is closed. New Italian guns often have the top lever offset to one side when new - they will centre with use.

Examine the forward parts of the action very closely - look for hammer or vice marks which are likely indicators that the action has been tightened by crimping.

The action should open and close positively and smoothly. There should be no grinding or unpleasant noises.

Drop in a couple of snap caps and make sure that the safety works properly and cannot be over-ridden by knocking the gun about. Pull the front trigger ( if a double trigger gun ) and then open the gun to check that the ejector/extractor is working properly. Close the gun and pull the rear trigger and then check for positive ejection/extraction again. Close the gun and pull each trigger one after the other and check again.

If the gun has a single trigger with the second barrel operated by recoil inertia it will not set after the first barrel has been `fired` with snap caps fitted. Hold the gun around the fore-end firmly and give the butt a hefty whack with the heel of the other hand - this should set the trigger for the second shot. Some guns require rather more `thump` than others to set the trigger so might have to be checked with actual cartridges.




Make sure the triggers operate smoothly and positively.

Check the rib to make sure that it is not loose - loose ribs, especially those that have been loose for some time are bad news as they allow for the ingress of damp which can perforate the barrels.

Check the overall condition of the gun. Make sure that the engraving is crisp. Worn engraving indicates a very well used and invariably worn gun.

If an old gun has very black barrels and colour on the action be particularly vigilent in all the above checks - there are a lot of very worn guns that have been re-blacked and re-coloured. You can`t expect barrel blacking and colour case hardening to stay bright - `grey` barrels are not an indication of a worn-out gun.

Check the action - face and flats - and look for hammer marks. Light pitting on the face around the strikers is acceptable. Make sure that the strikers have nicely rounded ends - chips indicate that they will need replacing - not an expensive job but should be taken into account in the purchase price. Check the barrel flats and the ejector rods to make sure all is as it should be.

At this stage I measure the bores and wall thicknesses. This will probably mean that you will have to take the gun to a gunsmith. Any less than 20 thou wall thickness 9" forward of the breech is an overly worn gun.

Finally take the gun somewhere that it can be shot and put a box of cartridges though it. If the action has been tightened by bodging this should shoot it loose again. I`m not going to explain the process of effecting a temporary bodge to tighten a gun that is shooting off the face for obvious reasons.

Hope this is of some assistance

[eljefe]

Here’s a hint on getting good pics:
Take some talcum powder and dust it on the proof marks and makers engraving, etc wipe it lightly with your finger so powder remains in the engraving and can be read clearly. Then take pictures

[russianshooter3]

What problem buy new?
If you planning shooting with this stuff, better its new shotgun!

Basic dont care price shotgun - 300 or 3000 USD or high all shotgun 12 ga shoot the same