Hello everyone and happy New Year!
Over the past few months I have resisted the temptation to plaster pictures of my new shotgun here, deciding instead to see how things went with it, rather than just making it a hardware story. Wait until it acquired some narrative patina if you like. So first of all, some context: for 27 years, my main shotgun was my Brno side-by-side that I bought with my savings when I was 18 and had my first shotgun certificate, and for all that it's a product of a byegone design philosophy, it has served me well. But a number of stars aligned to push me to moving on. First was that for the first time this season, I joined a little syndicate, so would have some regular game shooting. Previously I had managed once or twice a year, since I left the Kent Wildfowlers anyway, and it didn't really warrant extra investment. That will be the object of a separate story, about the same events but through a different lens. Second was that at some point, I would have to make the jump to a steel proofed gun, third that I had a significant birthday, and finally, the fact that technology now makes it possible to have a pretty much bespoke gun made for the same price as off the peg, at least with manufacturers who have invested in it. And so, in Spring of last year, I placed an order with Stephen & Sons for a 12 bore Chapuis RGP Classic side-by-side, with 30" barrels, double triggers, 3" chambers, steel proof obviously. But the main thing was that I was also measured for gunfit at the West London Shooting School (on the day the Duke of Endinburgh died, it was on the news in the clubhouse I remember) and that the semi-pistol grip stock was made to measure for pretty much the same price. Finally, the engraving at this price point was just done by laser, so no point throwing a lot of thought at it. So I opted for just a woodcock on the underside of the barrel, and to have all the metal parts colour-case hardened rather than polished. In November, after some customs delays, it arrived. See for yourselves what you think:
20211101_153311 by pinemarten, on Flickr
20211101_153023 by pinemarten, on Flickr
20211101_161336 by pinemarten, on Flickr
The specs and design that I was able to specify show, I think, a continuity from the old Brno, and it is also probably at least half a 'fowling piece.
2021-11-17_09-02-36 by pinemarten, on Flickr
So much for the hardware and specs, but how did it actually shoot? Stay tuned.
Over the past few months I have resisted the temptation to plaster pictures of my new shotgun here, deciding instead to see how things went with it, rather than just making it a hardware story. Wait until it acquired some narrative patina if you like. So first of all, some context: for 27 years, my main shotgun was my Brno side-by-side that I bought with my savings when I was 18 and had my first shotgun certificate, and for all that it's a product of a byegone design philosophy, it has served me well. But a number of stars aligned to push me to moving on. First was that for the first time this season, I joined a little syndicate, so would have some regular game shooting. Previously I had managed once or twice a year, since I left the Kent Wildfowlers anyway, and it didn't really warrant extra investment. That will be the object of a separate story, about the same events but through a different lens. Second was that at some point, I would have to make the jump to a steel proofed gun, third that I had a significant birthday, and finally, the fact that technology now makes it possible to have a pretty much bespoke gun made for the same price as off the peg, at least with manufacturers who have invested in it. And so, in Spring of last year, I placed an order with Stephen & Sons for a 12 bore Chapuis RGP Classic side-by-side, with 30" barrels, double triggers, 3" chambers, steel proof obviously. But the main thing was that I was also measured for gunfit at the West London Shooting School (on the day the Duke of Endinburgh died, it was on the news in the clubhouse I remember) and that the semi-pistol grip stock was made to measure for pretty much the same price. Finally, the engraving at this price point was just done by laser, so no point throwing a lot of thought at it. So I opted for just a woodcock on the underside of the barrel, and to have all the metal parts colour-case hardened rather than polished. In November, after some customs delays, it arrived. See for yourselves what you think:
20211101_153311 by pinemarten, on Flickr20211101_153023 by pinemarten, on Flickr20211101_161336 by pinemarten, on FlickrThe specs and design that I was able to specify show, I think, a continuity from the old Brno, and it is also probably at least half a 'fowling piece.
2021-11-17_09-02-36 by pinemarten, on FlickrSo much for the hardware and specs, but how did it actually shoot? Stay tuned.
