16ga.com ~ View topic - Can anyone recommend a source of SxS shotgun info?

Joined: 16 Mar 2013 Posts: 162 Location: York, PA

I was wondering whether anyone could recommend a good book or maybe a website that I can use to educate myself about some of the various manufacturers and models of SxS shotguns. This forum has been extremely helpful, but I'm not opposed to doing some homework myself. I was thinking of something more than a coffee table book with pretty pictures. Maybe the history of certain manufacturers/models and significant technological advances in design or manufacturing. Of course, I'll search on Amazon myself, but always appreciate first hand recommendations. Thanks in advance.

Micheal McIntosh:

Best Guns
Shotguns and Shooting
More Shotguns and Shooting
AH Fox "The Finest Guns in The World"

Terry Weiland:

Spanish Best

Bob Brister:

Shotgunning The Art and The Science

These are a few of my favorites off the top of my head. There are many others and I am sure that more people will pipe in.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/The-Double-Shotgun-by-Don-Zutz-1978-Hardcover-Firearm-Research-Book-266-Pages-/381847281133?hash=item58e7df1ded:g:bNMAAOSwImRYKmqw

http://www.ebay.com/itm/The-Shotgun-Book-by-Jack-OConnor-1965-First-Edition-HC-history-shooting-/322330260297?hash=item4b0c617349:g:WiYAAOSwqBJXWMEB

Joined: 15 Jun 2010 Posts: 1358 Location: Twin Cities, MN

Danny boy,
I own and have studied the books recommended above, and I also highly recommend them. For American guns you can't beat McIntosh's "Best Guns". You do have to realize that any book is going to give you someone else's opinions. I owe McIntosh big time for inducing me to jump into the sxs world with both feet. However, with time and my own moderate level of experience I disagree with him on several important points. Hey, they're just my opinions. I still value his books enormously, especially for the history. Look at the M21 thread - these guns bring out strong feelings for and against them. Read everything you can (I have a fairly significant personal library) and handle lots of guns. I don't know any other way to gain significant knowledge of double guns without owning a few. Handling one in a shop is different than owning and shooting one for awhile.
I'll go rummage through my bookshelves tonight and get some other books to recommend.
Happy reading,
Jeff

Joined: 16 Mar 2013 Posts: 162 Location: York, PA

Thanks for the suggestions, I found the double shotgun book by Zutz and the three Shotguns and Shooting books by McIntosh. This should give me plenty of good reading for a while.

Joined: 21 May 2010 Posts: 603 Location: Victoria BC Canada

My reference for the historical developement of the American shotguns is;

The American Shotgun, 1973, Winchester Press, David F. Butler. There is one post right now;

https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=18783959121&searchurl=kn%3Dthe%2Bamerican%2Bshotgun%252C%2Bbutler%26sts%3Dt%26sortby%3D17%26ds%3D20

I got mine in 2011 from Abebooks. It was EX LIBRIS Yuma College Library, Marysville Calif.

Joined: 13 Jun 2009 Posts: 696 Location: WA/AK

The last book by our friend the late Ed Muderlak, Parker Guns, Shooting Flying and the American Experience has a lot of great background information. One has to keep in mind Ed's total Parker-centric point of view and that as a lawyer he presents all of the "facts" that support his case and ignores those that don't.

The trouble with many of the books listed is that they are getting way out of date, and a lot of very good information has been found since they were published. Especially true of McIntosh's books, and that The American Shotgun book is over forty years out of date. The best sources are a full set of The Double Gun Journal, and information found on the Parker, Fox, L.C. Smith, Model 21, and general double gun web sites. Also, many of Dr. Drew's picture trails.

Joined: 29 May 2016 Posts: 79 Location: Burke Co, GA

I would add to the above listings W.W. Greener's "The Gun and it's Development". It's a rather large tome, and totally biased toward Greener's guns and products, but full of accurate and useful information.

Brister's book "Shotgunning, The Art and the Science" really does not contain much about S x S guns specifically, though it is probably the last shotgunning book in my library I would part with.

SRH

Double Gun Journal......not sure if they are still publishing but back issues are available.

Joined: 13 Jun 2009 Posts: 696 Location: WA/AK

Joined: 21 May 2010 Posts: 603 Location: Victoria BC Canada

I love the Greener book. I have a 11th edition from 1911. I also have Pollard's History of Guns. So I have the old stuff covered!