It's a fine double..to me...

Jerry VanHorn · 06-06-2017, 03:39 PM

This was my Xmas present in 1959. The picture shows me in the middle with 2 friends in June 1960. Our town had pigeon shoots on US 40 every month or so. I'm 13 in this shot...and it was in the local paper..The gun is a 311..20 gauge..26"M/IC. I still have the hang tag. My Dad paid $68.50 at Billy Whitmer's Store in Clay City, Indiana. The blue and color are original..and Dennis Smith restocked it years ago with 3X feather..Oscar Gaddy made the straight TG for me. My son will take care of it and pass it along....And..it really is..a fine double...JV.. PS.. I still have the shell vest. I put my initials on the pocket with a Magic Marker !. It's a little tight now.....

DSizemore · 06-06-2017, 04:15 PM

Very nice!

George Lang · 06-06-2017, 05:54 PM

A fine gun indeed. Fast backwards to 1955 and that was my Christmas present. Gun still looks almost new, even after all the cleaning and rubdowns it received over the years. For the last 8 years it now belongs to my grandson and he cherishes it like it was a Purdy.

Double Lab · 06-06-2017, 07:00 PM

That was my first SxS Jerry configured exactly like yours. I still have it and shoot it once a year for old times sake. Nice memories- thanks. BTW, where on US 40 were you?

Jerry VanHorn · 06-06-2017, 08:53 PM

Brazil, Indiana..Just East of Terre Haute. My Dad was Sheriff there till 1970. I graduated Indiana State in 1972..

charlie cleveland · 06-07-2017, 09:49 AM

a stevens 311 double 410 was my first gun i really put a lot of shells thrugh that gun..at 15 years of age i thought i needed a 12 ga and traded it to my dad for somekind of over and under. my dad traded the little 410 off an i have been sorry of tradeing the little gun ever since. i even bought a stevens 311 410 to replace the one i had traded off.. but it just aint the same thing...charlie

BRDHNTR · 06-09-2017, 01:24 PM

Jerry, any relation to Vincent VanHorn of Massachusetts who worked for Stone & Webster Engineering Corp for a number of years?

Jerry VanHorn · 06-09-2017, 01:42 PM

Doesn't ring a bell. My family was mostly in Indiana. In fact, my uncle was buried yesterday in the family cemetery. He was 95..and was on USS Honolulu at Pearl Harbor. We still have the family farm in Clay City, Indiana..