Do gold inlays hold up to hunting use?

[Kenny Graft]

I am ordering a CSMC Fox FE and would like to know how well gold inlaid dogs will or will not hold up on the belly of a Fox 28guage used for grouse hunting. It will have color case metal and could be engraved with or with out the gold. The sides of the receiver will have gold birds engraved and will take much less wear. I like the gold inlays but worry how long before they show use and loose their detail? How well did the gold inlays hold up on the old time guns from the golden age of SXS guns? Any input would be helpful. I added two pictures, one without gold and one with. The gun with the gold inlay has not been hunted yet. The gun with the non gold setter has field use for three seasons now. thanks all SXS Ohio

[Bill Zachow]

Depemds on the fineness of the gold and how the inlay was done. Too eliminate a quick loss of detail, you shouldhave the engraver use no higher than 14 karat butpreferably 10 K, alloyedwith copper. A competentengraver will undercut the edges where the inlaywillgo,then hammer in the gold so it fills in the undercuts and finally, then engrave the secure gold piece.

[Kevin McCormack]

In my bunker shooting heyday, one of the people we shot with regularly shot a Remington 1100 F Grade Trap with gold inlays, one of which was a pheasant. As the referee called a station change, the shooter next to him noticed that the head of the gold inlayed pheasant had popped off his gun. Since it was practice round, the referee allowed a stop for a few minutes until the precious head was found. It reminded me of a woman losing a diamond out of a ring; three of the shooters on their hands and knees combing the grass borders of the concrete pad. I'm not sure if it had happened in registered competition that he would have been allowed to look for it just then.

[Rich Anderson]

I have a CSM FE along with a Paker and a LeFever Optimus that all have gold inlays and I have never had a problem with any of them.

[Mark Ray]

Here are some with 119 years of carry wear....1898 Lindner Daly 20 bore, that has seen LOTS of action over time!

[Kenny Graft]

Thanks all....I think I will go with the gold inlayed setters. I felt the gun would not be what it should be if the belly engraving was not gold to match the rest of the guns gold. The attached picture is what the engraver will be working with for the belly engraving. I have spent many hours planning this FE-special build for a grouse gun. It with showcase Grouse, Woodcock and Setters in woodland settings. Specs will be 28gauge, 27" barrels, open chokes, PG-DT-BTF, skeleton steel plate and a light 5lbs-8 to 5lbs-10 I ordered this gun back in February and will take about 1 year to complete. SXS Ohio.....(-:

[Karl Ferguson]

Kenny,

The gold inlays that Angelo Bee done still look the same after many years of use.

[Ken Hill]

Hey Kenny,

I would have thought you would put a Gordon setter on the gun. :-)

Ken

[Bill Murphy]

My gold guns are wearing just fine. By the way, Kevin, did you guys ever find the gold pheasant's head? However, that non gold CSMC gun is just outstanding.

[Kevin McCormack]

Yes, we found it in just under 5 minutes. The shooter put the gun up and finished the round with a c. early 1950s Grade V Superposed, like he should have been using all along.

[Tom Flanigan]

I have a beautiful muzzleloader built just after the civil war as a presentation piece for a civil war general. It has gold inlays. The gun was built by N. Nathan who received commissions from the various states for persentation guns. My gun is almost identical to the gun Nathan built for General Grant, which is at the Smithsonian. I shoot the gun often and have killed a bunch of deer with it. No problem with the gold inlays at all.

I take extreme care with the gun while hunting with it. Most of the original finish is intact since I'm sure it wasn't used much by the original owner. Most presentation guns were rarely shot.

[Kenny Graft]

Hey Ken Hill....my first CSMC Fox, the one you see in my top picture, is a Gordon setter....(-: I love all setters I ever met, one day I would like to own a Ryman setter too! I have been blessed, my huntin friend in Potter P.A. has a Gordon and a Ryman both front line dogs. Its a grate to see them independently hunt together and when they get together on point its a grand sight to behold! SXS SetterXSetter Kenny




all three hunting together, on point or backing. SXS Ohio