1891 CH Bernard 10/12ga
 

A very early C Bernard hammerless.

Heavy Bernard 12's for waterfowl and light upland 26" D. 10's on a #2 frame. The gun was targeted with Wood's Smokeless Powder in 1891. It has a couple issues. The stock crack is fixed and functional but unattractive. The original skeleton butt was removed and a pad installed but the spur inletting is still there. Maybe a candidate for the Stock Doc.

as always Bruce, great photos of a great gun.

it will also give our new member Alex something to compare his to for condition

very nice...charlie

Bruce, you didn't find any "HG" initials anywhere on the frame? It sure looks like his work, doesn't it?

Thanks for sharing.

Wow, that's in very good condition. Nice to see what the one I have probably used to look like. Was this restored in any way? I'm very hesitant to attempt any cleaning because it would probably only make things worse and devalue the gun. The one I have was kept in a closet for 50+ years with a couple of other guns and I don't know how it was kept before that.

Alex, bluntly, your family gun has significant problems. The stock has been replaced by an incorrect one without drop points and of incorrect wood poorly fitted. The skeleton butt plate is badly rusted. There are rust pits on the barrels.

The only thing that would devalue the gun further is to have chopped barrels. Cleaning with soap and water will not devalue the gun.

However, the gun is salvageable and restorable with money and effort. You would need a proper stock made, the butt plate filed to good metal and re-engraved, and the barrels carded and refinished. This is not an inexpensive proposition, however to restore the gun to its original glory, that is what is needed. If that is your goal and you need names, PM me.

John, yes it looks like Henry Gough's work, but I find no engraver's initials.

to start Alex - if there is rust (like the buttplate) - get some oil on it and stop further damage

the metal can be cleaned with Frontier pads and oil

http://www.exploreproducts.com/big45...un-cleaner.htm

go slow and careful. Even with the wear ( someone in your family's history had tales to tell with this gun) you have a great piece of family history to pass along.

To the top again in view of the post asking about short 10's. With the 26 inch original Damascus barrel, this is a short 10.

An interesting comment in one of the Askin's books circa 1900 is that ruffed grouse hunters are recommended to use a short barreled 10 ga with cylinder bores and loads of 1 1/4 oz of No. 9 or 10 shot. That is what this gun is.

However, even with the short barrels, it is still about 7 1/2 lbs. A bit heavy for me to want to carry long in grouse thickets.

a great tool for early in the season when the leave are still too thick

it takes me for ever to shoot them down with a 20 or even a 16



at that weight, i would give it a try- my 1 frame 12 scales at about 7 - so only a few more ounces

Bruce
Fantastic Parker. I have a nice CH 10 Bernard & yours is the only other one I have seen. Any idea how many are still around?