Darne Guns

[Matt Buckley]

I've been interested in possibly purchasing a Darne shotgun and I'm wondering if anybody on the forum shoots one or has any experience with them.

[Dean Romig]

Contact Geoffroy Gournet.


Here... http://www.gournetusa.com/










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[Phillip Carr]

We had a chance to shoot a 28 as well as a 12 gauge Darne on Eurasian doves this past Saturday. I really liked both guns. The loading and ejection system is pretty neat. I would not mind owning a sub gauge if I found one priced right.

[David Noble]

I've owned a few, a 12, 16 and 20ga. The 16 was a Halifax model but still a true Darne design.
The guns are light weight and handle easily. Finding a good fit might be difficult, the length of pull is rarely over 14 inches in my experience. The action, which is the big draw on these guns, is awkward at first primarily because it is so different from a thumb lever. Instead of just shifting the thumb over the top to push the lever, you have to completely release your grip and reach up and pull the cam lever up and back. This amounts to about tens times the amount of involvement to open and extract the shells. The shells on an ejector model are knocked off on opposite sides of the action. Notice I say knocked off, not thrown out like on an ejector Parker or similar action. The Halifax 16 did not have ejectors so the empties just were pulled out but always seemed to fall from the action anyway due to the manipulation of the cam lever. One thing you need to be aware of is when the action is open, the back of the sliding breach is protruding back over the grip area of the gun. If for some reason you try to regrab the gun at the grip the rather sharp back edge of the breach can cause you some grief. And never open the action with the off hand while grasping the gun at the grip with the other hand.
Reloading the chambers takes a bit of getting used to also. Since the barrels don't drop down as on all other doubles, you have to manipulate the shells a bit differently to feed them into the chambers. On my Parkers I can grab two shells in my hand and feed them both in simultaneously but that was a maneuver I never mastered with the Darne type guns. Most of the time I would have to load one at a time even though I held two shells in the hand.
Once the gun is mounted, the swamped rib becomes very evident! If you've never shot a side by side with a swamped rib you'll be in for a surprise. It's a bit unnerving at first but after a bit of shooting you quit being disturbed by the lack of a rib and just point and shoot as usual.
Like I said earlier, the draw of these guns is the unusual action. While quit unique and attractive, I never saw any advantage to the action mechanically or functionally. I owned each one for about a year and then sold or traded them off. Still I would recommend the gun if you are interested in one, just to experience it. They are easy to sell or trade off when the time comes.

[Kevin McCormack]

I owned and shot a beautiful R-15 Darne 28 ga. for years. It was one of the best woodcock guns I ever owned. When my English setter ate some 'whiffle ball"-type hard plastic crap he came upon in the woods and needed emergency stomach surgery, I sold it to help pay for the operation, which fairly cost as much as the gun! (He survived).

In addition to Geoffroy Gournet, be sure to contact Ted Schefelbein whom I think still lives in the upper Midwest (WI, MN or MI??). He was one of the earliest proponents of the Darne gun in the US and provided me with tons of information and printed material on the marque. He and Geoffroy can tell you pretty much all you need to know about them.

[Matt Buckley]

Thanks for the information. I have been in contact with Ted Schefelbein who lives in Minnesota where I am from. He is a wealth of knowledge on these guns and I have learned a lot just from a couple of emails. If anybody owns one and would like to post some pictures I'd love to see what you have.

[Dean Romig]

Visit gournetusa.com to see some really nice Darnes.





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[James J. Roberts]

What's a Darne shotgun in 16 ga. worth? I know a dealer who has one for sale $850.00. J.J.

[Dean Romig]

It depends on the grade JJ.






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[David Noble]

I found this on the double gun shop forum. Maybe it will have some information you can use.
http://doublegunshop.com/darne/darne-info.pdf

[CraigThompson]

I bought a pair off a fellow who claimed he got them from a guy that brought them back as WWII war booty . Now I dunno if they were that old or not , one was a 12 that weighed 6 1/3 pounds the other was a 20 that weighed a hair less then 5 1/2 pounds both had the semi pistol grip .

They would have made lovely grouse getters but the only time I fired either was on the skeet field and let me just say the little 20 would wake you up and put the fear of God in you all at the same time !
The slightly heavier 12 gauge amazingly enough was rather pleasant to shoot but the little one was a terror .

I kept them maybe 2 years and then sold traded them to Jim Tyrell when he ran the pro shoip at Fairfax Rod and Gun !@

[Ron Gebhart]

I have a Darne 20 gauge, English stock. I have had it for over 30 years. It is very light, and you won't find a shotgun with the balance point closer to the triggers. This results in very quick handling, to the point that it is difficult to master. Takes a while to catch up to it after shooting something else. It is a fast handling, fun shotgun.

The cam action means the shells are held tight, no headspace. Because of this, felt recoil is very mild.

The swamped rib is different, but is not something that I notice when shooting. I shoot the Parkers most of the time, but I like the little Darne a lot. It is a beautiful design and a historic French contribution to our sport.

[CraigThompson]

The cam action means the shells are held tight, no headspace. Because of this, felt recoil is very mild.
I do not doubt you for a moment , but with all sincerity I can attest to the fact the little 20 I had would kick the snot out of you shootings mounted gun on the skeet field . Now perhaps the gun didn't fit me well , but I was shooting an average of about 23/25 a round . So it must not have been to bad , the 12 on the other hand "to me" was a good bit milder recoil wise .

[Dean Romig]

Ron, I would like to see and possibly to shoot your little Darne. If you live close enough perhaps you can come to the New Years Day Shoot at Major Waldron's in Barrington, NH?

Dean

Oops... I just noticed you're in Fairbanks :rotf: so I guess you won't be coming to the New Years Day Shoot...






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[Ron Gebhart]

Dean,
I'd love to shoot with you in NH, but you are correct, I won't make it this year . Certainly is on my list to visit your area of the county and meet some of the folks from PGCA!
Ron

[Eldon Goddard]

Recently bought a Darne R14 in 16 ga at a gun show. Very nice gun beautifully engraved and weighs only 5 lbs 8 oz.

[Matt Buckley]

I'd love to see a picture of your new R14 16 Gauge.

[Kevin McCormack]

You will occasionally see them with numbers branded into the side of the butt; armory guns that could be checked out for hunting by members of the French military during the early years of their occupation of Indochina.

[James J. Roberts]

Went by the dealer at the Chantilly Gun Show with the 16ga.Darne and it sill for sale.J.J.

[Matt Buckley]

I found a very good article in Double Gun Journal by Theodore Schefelbein called Le Bon Vieux Darne. It is in the Summer 96 issue and it is a very good overview on Darne guns and the different models. Ted imported Darnes for a few years and I have come to find he knows his stuff when it comes to Darnes. He posts a fair amount over on the Doublegun Forums.

[Eldon Goddard]

Took it shooting today for the first time. I am very impressed with the design and quality of these guns. I also shot it quite well despite the odd rib and stock.

[Matt Buckley]

Nice looking Darne

[Matt Buckley]

Here is what I ended up with. It is a 16 gauge A. Bayle which is a clone to a Darne. There are many of these guns that were built on Darne frames by different builders, this one being by Alexandre Bayle. Some believe that Darne sold there frames on the side to other builders. The engraving and finish work on this gun is excellent. It has 27" barrels choke M/F and weights 5lbs 7oz. I broke some clays with it the first time out so I can shoot it. I can't weight for Pheasant season next fall.

[Jim Beilke]

Pretty gun Matt, and very nice wood. Looking forward to giving it a try.

[Matt Buckley]

I have some more pics of my new Bayle that hopefully show the wood and engraving a little better. I have added a German braided leather sling to the gun given to me by a fellow Parker member. Thanks Jim.

[Jim Beilke]

That little 16 Darne is by far better in hand than pictures can show.You did good Matt.