Harkom percussion double

[Frank Srebro]

I was 15 years old when I last hunted with a percussion muzzleloading shotgun. My friend’s Dad had an English caplock double shotgun, and George and I hunted quite a bit with it using homemade black powder, newspaper for wadding and steel air rifle BB’s. Percussion caps couldn’t be had and we improvised with the centers of roll caps as used in the toy “cap guns” that were common back then. That shotgun was effective on rabbits and squirrels within 25 yards or so but that’s about all that kids on foot could hunt nearby.

I’ve had fond memories of those adventures and have been looking for a good lightweight percussion double-gun over a few years now. I connected at the Vintagers event last month. She’s a 14 bore with 29” barrels. Made in about 1845-50 by Joseph Harkom who was the premier Scottish gunmaker, located in Edinburgh. Bores are super clean showing proper cleaning after use over the past 170 years and she comes up and points really well.

Today was her first outing with me. Grouse have been tough here in northeastern PA for several years now but a friend and I managed to find three birds in some grape patches. Leaves are still pretty thick and two birds were basically just glimpses as they flushed. I heard the third bird flush and it crossed a opening in front of me to meet one ounce of 7’s. The smoke obscured the bird dropping but the trashing of feathers was pretty distinct. Man, what a rush after all those years. :)
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[Donald McQuade]

Frank, great story. To be able to recreate fond memories from your youth is special, and to kill a flying grouse in heavy cover with a black powder hammer gun is outstanding. And that Harkom is a very fine looking double. Thanks for sharing.

[Daryl Hallquist]

That's a cool gun and story. I shoot a Harkom pinfire and agree the maker is superb. I don't often see them, but the Harkom boxlocks are a step above most others in beauty.

By the way, how do you make homemade black powder ?

[Garry L Gordon]

Congratulations! Another way to enhance the enjoyment of the hunt. That’s a trophy bird in my book.

[Frank Srebro]

That's a cool gun and story. I shoot a Harkom pinfire and agree the maker is superb. I don't often see them, but the Harkom boxlocks are a step above most others in beauty.

By the way, how do you make homemade black powder ?

Daryl, easily made from the classical proportions of Potassium Nitrate (saltpeter), sulfur and charcoal. Making instructions can be found through Google and in addition member Charlie Cleveland has a few posts on same in the Off Topic forum. Back in the day another friend Bart and I came up with a good way to wet mix the ingredients, then dry and granulate, which wasn't the safest, and I hesitate to share that here. :nono:

[James L. Martin]

Frank, great story and real cool gun. Congrats .

[Frank Srebro]

More pics on request.

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[charlie cleveland]

that gun is sure a pretty thing.....charlie

[Mike Franzen]

Great story Frank. That gun’s condition is amazing after 170 years. Was that a display gun at the gentleman’s booth that sells the leather goods?

[Frank Srebro]

Thanks everyone for your feedback. No Mike it wasn't at the leather goods booth. Another gent had it on consignment and away from the table traffic mainstream; I checked her out thoroughly but wasn't able to make a deal despite several increasing $ tries. Then I had regrets while driving home and called him to commit. Sent the check and he shipped her to me afterwards.
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[Mike Franzen]

I’ve seen that motto

[John Mazza]

That is a beautiful gun, and a great story. I also started out with muzzleloaders. To this day, if I pick up one of them, I go back in time to those early hunts with my dad...

Good stuff !

[Craig Larter]

WOW a grouse with a muzzle loader, that is one heck of an accomplishment. A red letter day, congratulations!

[Daryl Corona]

WOW a grouse with a muzzle loader, that is one heck of an accomplishment. A red letter day, congratulations!

Frank , do you carry the gun with hammers cocked? I know you don't use a pointing dog so your feat with that gun is admirable.

[Frank Srebro]

Thank you Craig and Daryl. Yes, a Red Letter Day. This was a bit easier shot as the grouse crossed an opening. I hunted the Harkom with its hammers at half cock; of course it/they can’t rest on the percussion caps. I’ll have my thumb on the right hammer while working birdy areas and it’s easy to bring to full cock at the flush. I’m probably not going to get a second follow-up shot while walk up grouse hunting here in NE PA, and thus I don't try cocking both hammers at the same time. Actually the same as when a kid I hunted with an Eastern Arms single and a Belgian W Richards double barrel hammer gun.