Unofficial Darne website

[mehulkamdar]

http://www.geocities.com/g_gournet/Darne.htm

Check out the best of France. Who is it on our list who owns a Darne? Gaja?

Cheers,

Mehul

[Mack The Knife]

That's a pleasant coincidence! Was re-reading my very first gun book, gifted to me by my father in the mid-70's and came across the Darne last night. Had made a mental note to Google it in the morning but had forgotten all about it until I saw your post.

Never had the pleasure to see one 'in the flesh'.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a6/RHB65/DSCN2040.jpg

Mack The Knife

[Young Tiger]

Hello Mehul

we own (its not in my license) my grandfather's Darne action Charlin 16ga shotgun ,Its was presented to him by maharajah of patiala it is fully engraved with maharajahs's escutcheon , I was looking at lewis Drake
Website when i saw similar kind of 12ga shotgun again presented by
maharajah of patiala to an american engineer,for sale the one on sale is in better condition than ours and has gold inlays,but the engraving is kind of same (picture http://www.gunshop.com/vinpix2002/dsc00434.jpg)

Cheers!

[mehulkamdar]

Harnihal,

That must be one beautiful gun. I don't remember which US authority it was who said that the Darnes handled like "greased lightning" which describes them perfectly. The new Bruchet guns (made by Paul Bruchet after the Darne family closed their business down and refused to license the name to their own manager) are very fine guns and they have always had a small but dedicated market outside France.

I know of one Darne gun that is with a friend's brother near Mysore and that is the only one that I have handled (but not fired) and it was exactly as described. The sliding breech is somewhat unusual the first time one shoots it but I suppose people get used to it with a few shots.

It must be nice to have a gun gifted by Amarinder Singh's ancestors to your grandfather in your family.

Cheers,

Mehul

[Grumpy]

Darne ? "The best of France" ? You have to be joking Mehul. They handle well but apart from that...........

[mehulkamdar]

John,

The best from France does not have to equal the best from Britain, does it? I guess you could look at Georges Granger and his Aiglon system as the other fine shotgun from France but I cannot, frankly, think of any other. Manufrance made workmanlike guns as did Verney Carron. There are names like Demas and Mathelon that I know nothing about as I have not seen any of their guns myself.

Don't forget that I am a Savage-Stevens shooter. Not quite Purdey or Boss class. As a good boxlock that handled well, I liked the Darne that my friend's brother owns. Not as well as my old Savage-Stevens, of course but well enough to impress me for a boxlock.

Mehul

[Mack The Knife]

Strange how things work out sometimes. Late last week I was reading about the Darne, two days later Mehul puts up a post on the subject and after an interval of, you guessed it, I have a visitor this evening who has a Darne right here in Bangalore!

Goes without saying I have invited myself to his place to have a look at it and a few other beauties.

Mack The Knife

[mehulkamdar]

Mack The Knife,

If your friend lets you shoot it, do try it out. They handle beautifully.

And, if he is going to sell it, and it is in good shape, buy it. It should not cost much in India as there is little demand for them, a good thing for a potential buyer.

Cheers,

Mehul

[Mack The Knife]

If your friend lets you shoot it, do try it out.

Like I need telling. However, I met him yesterday, so it may be pushing the boundaries of acquaintanceship to request a go with it.

No, he is not selling it. W.C. has already seen it and made his usual low offer - 1 lakh.

He also has a .375 H&H Mag Holland & Holland double with a new William Evans stock which needs touching up (he could not wait for the job to be completed or something like that. Yet to see the stock.). Guess which poor sod has been asked to do the needful? Now, I really am crapping in my pants. Brnos and Baikals are one thing but this seems like very rarified territory for yours truly.

Mack The Knife

[brno375]

They have quite an interesting look.http://www.martiniandhagngunmakers.com/forsale.htm

[eljefe]

Mack The Knife, Does your bangalore walla have an O/U darne? I saw one in 12 O/U many years ago in Blr-i must have ben 8-9 then;cant remember many details-a gunsmith patient of my father had brought it home as my father was interested in a shotgun or something to that effect...being a bit of a 'stuck up brit double' family, I presume was one reason for not buying it!
Suggest you stretch your friendship and get to pop off a dozen of the best/ worst??!!
Best
Axx

[Mack The Knife]

Mack The Knife, Does your bangalore walla have an O/U darne?

Asif,

I haven't seen it yet but I get the feeling it's a side-by-side. Belongs to the same person who wants the IMR 4350....just so you know who I am talking about.

Mack The Knife

[mehulkamdar]

To be honest I have never heard of a Darne U/O. It would be an interesting gun though a pig to reload because if it's sliding breech. There was an ultralight French shotgun with slide forward barrels called the Baqby Bretton, probably the lightest shotgun ever made weighing less than 5 lbs. I would like to see one of those but not shoot it. I wonder if any of those are available in India?

[AMRIT PAL SINGH]

i own a 12 gauge double barrel gun,charlin automatique, made in france, sliding breech. any more information can i get. what about its price

[Sakobav]

Amrit pal

Do post its picture and may be members could chime in. It will be interesting to see your pictures. Do post your introduction in welcome section and looking forward to your posts.

Best