Flintlock side-by-side: your thoughts

I've had a hankering for a long time to get a side-by-side flintlock fowler. Does anybody know a gunsmith who makes such a contraption? The only one I've been able to find is the one made by Pedersoli. It's a nice gun and all but I hate to think that's my only option.

Thanks in advance,

Darren

Well, I'm VERY lucky, as I bought one here recently made custom by an unknown smith, but it has proven to be well made and uses US made Cochran locks, who used to sell them to Dixie Gun Works. The only other option than that UGLY Pedersoli double is one from India. And that Pedersoli is sooooooooo butt ugly to me .... (HORRIBLE checkering design, ick, iCk, IcK, ICK!) that I think I'd take my chances with the ones from India.

Slim it down, tune the locks and then refinish both the metal and wood and it would be much prettier than the Pedersoli, at least to my eyes.

But I would bet you possibly could talk a great metal smith and gun artisan like Brian Anderson, of Bristol, VT to make you one. PM me if you need his contact info.

This is the one I'm contemplating; Double Barrel Flint Shotgun


It is at Middlesex Village Trading Companie. I got my Matchlock there and I'm very happy with it. I just ordered a Brown Bess. This one is on my wish list there

Everybody to his own some will go for the repro but to me personally they have no comparison to a original. Another factor is what you intend to use it for be it upland game of skeet shooting no doubt some will want to fire a ball .then a repro will be suffice For a original with Damascus barrels for which I prefer they handle better and make excellent game guns they are good for clays but not recommended for ball another fact why most go for the repro is the cost and finding a suitable sxs original flintlock but some repros are now retailing rather expensive.
Feltwad
A Stand of Original sxs Flintlocks

My primary game animal for a SxS would be turkeys, but I would probably hunt squirrels and rabbits with it as well. I probably would never shoot ball out of it. I have plenty of flinter rifles for that.

Darren

Last year at the Shotgun Soiree in Electra a gentleman had a French double flintlock 20 bore. Neatest gun you've ever handled. It dated to the early 1800s. He loaded a square load of 40grs fffg. He won singles and doubles flintlock skeet and drew a huge crowd doing it. He tied for first and they had a shootoff. Everyone abandoned the trap range to watch.
I bet you could've sold a wagon load of flintlocks then.

My double started life as a Navy Arms (Pietta) 12 ga. percussion. Wish I could say I had the talent to do the conversion myself, but that is not the case. Unfortunately the gentleman that did do the conversion is no longer doing such work. Had the barrels jug choked also. Not sure of the efficient range as I have never tried to find out, but this turkey, as most of the ones I have taken, was about 20 yards.

ChiefBrown said:

This is the one I'm contemplating; Double Barrel Flint Shotgun

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It is at Middlesex Village Trading Companie. I got my Matchlock there and I'm very happy with it. I just ordered a Brown Bess. This one is on my wish list there

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I bough one of them from them 12 yrs. ago and have never had any kind of issue with it. man does it through sparks!!!

Feltwad said:

Everybody to his own some will go for the repro but to me personally they have no comparison to a original. Another factor is what you intend to use it for be it upland game of skeet shooting no doubt some will want to fire a ball .then a repro will be suffice For a original with Damascus barrels for which I prefer they handle better and make excellent game guns they are good for clays but not recommended for ball another fact why most go for the repro is the cost and finding a suitable sxs original flintlock but some repros are now retailing rather expensive.
Feltwad
A Stand of Original sxs Flintlocks

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it isn't every body that has the SHECKLES to shell out for an original. when crossing over a stone wall and hitting an original on the rocks you'll do more than just cry!!

toot said:

it isn't every body that has the SHECKLES to shell out for an original. when crossing over a stone wall and hitting an original on the rocks you'll do more than just cry!!

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Or have to sell them because of a divorce!

when I was out shooting with my wife, at the range with my new BROWN BESS I asked her what she wanted for her birthday, she replied a DIVORCE ! I replied that I hadn't planed on spending that much money!!!

toot said:

when I was out shooting with my wife, at the range with my new BROWN BESS I asked her what she wanted for her birthday, she replied a DIVORCE ! I replied that I hadn't planed on spending that much money!!!

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On the Brown Bess or the divorce?

Orig, doubles can be found reasonably priced. But to do so, you may have to do a lot of looking and they may have to be converted back to flint. The main problem with originals is the bores can be rough. Re-converted one back to flint and sold it to a friend, He is very happy with it and shoots it. Please do not ask me to reconvert one for you, am getting too old for that and have ample friends. For my first flint double, I made it out of a modern percussion gun by re-stocking it and modifying some hardware for it and I still have it. Not a very good gunsmith. but I have shot several rabbits with it, when we still had rabbits and beagle dogs. Now it takes more energy than I have to do walking hunts of any distance. Have been able to find 2 orig flint doubles that I could afford. Have not shot either as they both still need work. It is a slow process.