Remembering Austin Hogan

[Dean Romig]

Originally Posted by Bill Murphy

Austin's skeet gun, at least he referred to it that way, is one of the last lifters, 104,000 range. It is a #3 frame 32" full and full nine pound monster. I had seen it at a Pennsylvania Gun Collectors show probably 30 years ago. Clarence Bowman was sitting in the snack bar with the big gun laid on the table. I knew it was a rare gun and wanted to buy it. I asked Clarence about it and he quoted a very high price which I would not pay. Years later, I saw it with Austin, offered to buy it, but he refused to sell, saying that it was his favorite skeet gun. Years after that, it turned up in Austin's estate. At that point, I paid about three times what Clarence asked for it.

Bill, I’ve always found Clarence to be very fair. His prices are realistic but like a lot of us, he doesn’t like to pay the asking price.





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