Two Barrel Sets

[C.O.B.]

I'm after a 20ga VHE two barrel set but I'm not really sure why. They are 28 and 32, two forearms and a two bbl LOM case. The owner of this recently passed so now I'm waiting on the family.

I understand the logic behind a two barrel set but are they really that practical? Most of what you see are 26 & 28 inch lengths IC/M and M/F. I don't really see the difference in 2 inches of barrel length.

How much use does the "other" set really get? I have three two barrel sets and have owned others. The Hollywood gun is a two barrel set. Both are 28 inches with vent ribs and separate forearms. One set (the one I use) is choked skt/skt the other M/F. I use the skt barrels all the time for sporting clays and have owned the gun for 10+years and the M/F barrels have never been on it. There is an upgraded 28ga. The Parker barrels are 26 inches IC/M which get used for upland hunting. The second set are 28 inches M/F and are from James Purdey. I have used these a couple of times for clays. Maybe the most useful set is a 16ga Purdey that has 29 inch M/F and 26 inch IC/F barrels. I've been using the 29's on sporting clays and will take it north for grouse with the 26 inch tubes.

How much value does the extra barrels add and is that ever realized in being used? If I get the chance to buy the VHE 20 set I undoubtedly will but as the gun has no safety IIRC it's strictly a clays gun so once again I have to ask myself why?

[Dean Romig]

Rich, we’ve had this same discussion several times before on this forum and you were involved each time.
And you still seem undecided about the value of having a two-barrel set. Seems to me you are being overly cautious because you don’t want to get burned.
Do you ‘need’ the gun? Like you say, you already have three of them... will you get burned on them?





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[todd allen]

Extra barrels is how they changed chokes, back in the day.

[Randy Roberts]

I have some 2 barrel sets and I swore I would never buy another, yeah right. I
have never used the second set with one exception, that being a 28/20 set. This one has seen some use over the years and I have enjoyed it. Personally I would much rather have a second gun than a second set of barrels.

[C.O.B.]

Randy I have to agree with you on having another gun vs a second set of barrels. Like I said the M/F barrels have never been on the Hollywood gun but that didn't stop me from buying a nice high condition CHE 16 with 30 inch M/F barrels

Dean no I don't need the gun, I have a 32 inch 20 and many that are 28 and at the price I won't get burned on it either. It's the rationale behind the second set of barrels that puzzles me .

[Ronald Moore]

No correlation between want and need, I have 156 want guns, probably 6 need.

Ron

[Dean Romig]

Rich, as Todd Allen said - "it's how they changed chokes, back in the day."

Not that a shooter would carry the extra set of barrels in the field, but for woodcock or bob-whites in the morning and pheasants in the afternoon a shooter could do both with the lesser expense (and less bulk) of just one gun.

And - I have seen combination Skeet/Trap Parkers with vent ribs and BTFE's on both. 30" Trap barrels with Trap chokes and 26" Skeet barrels with Skeet chokes.





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[B. Dudley]

I can certainly see the advantage to having the barrel sets being drastically differebt lengths, like the 28” and 32” set that that Rich describes. So, between choking and barrel length, you can really have a multipurpose gun for different situations.
It is when the sets are the same length or very close in length that seem more pointless. With the only difference being choking, you arent really gaining much.

But, I think no matter what the scenario, one set ends up getting used a lot more often than the other.

[King Cobb]

My only 2 barrel set is a 10g/12g setup, 32 and 30 inch barrels. I find the set great and very useful in those configurations. I have never had an interest in sets that are same gauge and same or similar barrel length with only variations in choke. I understand the purpose, but with spreader loads and such today I don't find them desireable. Now, your 28 and 32 set would have more appeal to me, as that is a practical difference. Plus, lots of members on here seem to think a 32" 20 gauge is about a perfect gun (not me, anything below a 12 is too small, though I might pick up one of those dainty 16s eventually). I saw a set at a shoot once when I first got into parkers, 3 barrel 10/12/16 that was 34, 30, and 26 inches respectively. I didn't know enough about Parkers at the time to ask much about it but it was nice. Wish I had paid more attention to it, I don't even know what the frame size on it was or if the barrels were all factory, but that is a setup that would have a lot of appeal to me if I ran across it today. Back to your question though, if I liked 20s I think I would be interested in this one.

[Richard Flanders]

I have a very useful, at least as far as bbl length, near mint condition factory VH12 set of 26" and 30". If you travel to hunt with that set it's good for everything from woodcock to geese. Trouble is both bbl sets are F/F so the 26" isn't quite as useful as it could be and I am absolutely cured of having chokes reamed. I do go back and forth with the 26"/28" bbls on my 28ga Repro. 26" for grouse/woodcock in the woods, 28" M/F for ptarmigan in open country.