If you’ve ever wanted to own a big-bore shotgun, this is your opportunity to get one.
Giles Marriott is a dealer in the UK who specializes in vintage side-by-sides, over-unders, and other fine guns. Right now he has this amazing group of big-bore shotguns on his site.
It includes everything from 4-bores like this vintage SxS Francotte hammergun and this 2-gun set of modern Watson sidelocks (these guns must have have cost $100,000+ each to make).
The collection also includes bunch of 8 gauges and some nice 10 gauges, including this incredible bar-in-wood Horsley.
Eight-gauges and even four-gauges were common in the US around the Chesapeake Bay and other big waterfowling areas. Affluent shooters used them to pass shoot ducks, geese, and swans.
While waterfowl hunting with shotguns larger than 10 gauges was outlawed in the US in the ’30s, it remained legal in the UK. Judging by fantastic condition of these guns, I doubt they’ve spent much time in the field.
