J D Dougall S#3154

Bill Kekatos · 07-18-2015, 12:05 PM

Gentlemen, I recently became the owner of a J D Dougall Lock-Fast shotgun with serial number 3154. The serial number puts it around 1875. The gun was originally made as a 12 gauge, however at some time (I believe recently), the barrels were lined/fitted with 20-gauge barrels with 2 3/4 chambers. The new barrels run inside the whole length of the original damascus barrels. The length of the barrels is 27 3/4 inches. The gun and the barrels are in very good condition and I would like to shoot it.

I am not familiar with hammer guns and I have the following questions:
1. It appears is has rebounding hammers. Can you confirm?
2. The firing pin on the left side is longer than the firing pin on the right side and it moves in and out of the frame more freely than the right one, (see pics below). Do you think it is a replacement pin?
3. Did pins of that period have sping tension or were they suppossed to be free-floating and move back and forth freely as it is in this case?
4. What is the proper way of carrying, loading and shooting a gun with hammers and locks such as this one?

The proofs are black powder from the London proof house.I have attached additional pictures of the flats and barrels. You can also see the new 20-ga barrel liners. I am also attaching a picture of the letter written by Geoffrey Boothroyd which came with the gun.

I also found an article on the Double Gun Journal (Autumn 1997) on a Dougall Howdah 16 ga pistol written by Ross Seyfried. The serial number on that pistol is 3164, 10 digits after mine (3154). The fences are different, however the engraving, quality, and markings are very similar.

I would greatly appreciate any information or advice you can provide me. Thank you in advance.

[IMG]

[/IMG]

[IMG]

[/IMG]

OH Osthaus · 07-18-2015, 12:18 PM

Nice looking gun

Rebounding hammers should not touch the strikers at rest

wayne goerres · 07-18-2015, 08:43 PM

I think that what is called for here is an im-person inspection buy a qualified double gun smith. Your left firing pin looks to be an unfinished replacement and something about the liner at the breach looks a little strange. May just be the photo's. Its an interesting looking gun.

LHBEAR · 07-18-2015, 09:28 PM

Love the detail on the carved fences.
I have a JD Dougall, re barreled by McNaughton and love it.
The crammed action is unique.

Bill Kekatos · 07-18-2015, 09:45 PM

Do you think It would be worth to do a restoration or leave it in its current condition?
Is the fact that the barrels are re-lined as 20-gauge a positive or negative aspect?
Do you recommend a good gunsmith who is familiar in this gun maker?
Bill K

OH Osthaus · 07-18-2015, 09:52 PM

JD Dougall guns and lock have been discussed several times on the doublegunshop.com board if you do a search over there

this one has some details about the maker

http://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/...rue#Post399162

Bill Kekatos · 07-18-2015, 09:59 PM

Thank you. I have done a search and read the threads. I notice a number of people are familiar with J D Dougall in this site and that is why I took the liberty in posting my thread here.

wayne goerres · 07-19-2015, 04:28 PM

I don't really think your gun needs a restoration so much as it just needs to be looked over. for some reason it looks like your left firing pin is to long. Now that may have been done intentionally to compensate for the depth of the barrel liner. Because of the way Your action works the barrels had to be bored a little at the breach end so the liners could be set in. If the went to deep with the left liner than they may have made a longer firing pin to compensate. Witch is a poor repair. It is just really hard to tell from the pic's. I wont recommend a smith because there are so many good ones on this forum. A quick search of a few threads should give you a couple of names or maybe someone else will chime in.

Kensal Rise · 07-19-2015, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Kekatos

Do you think It would be worth to do a restoration or leave it in its current condition?
Is the fact that the barrels are re-lined as 20-gauge a positive or negative aspect?
Do you recommend a good gunsmith who is familiar in this gun maker?
Bill K

Mr. Kekatos:
Please do NOT "restore" this gun. It's wonderful as-is.
If it is now a 20-bore, enjoy it as a 20.
Your location can generally help locate a good double gunsmith.
However, you can't go wrong by sending it down to Kirk Merrington in Kerrville TX. He's a master Brit 'smith and barrel maker. And can accurately assess your gun. His website is merringtongun.com.

PS: your gun was proofed as a 13 bore... a "tight" 12.

Double Trouble · 07-20-2015, 12:36 PM

I have 3402, in 16 bore. A great gun ! (I just wish it had more drop to the stock...)

That left pin is way too long. If someone chambered/recessed that barrel so deep that this long pin was needed, then it would have massively excessive headspace. I like the "unfinished replacement" theory.

Merrington inspected my Dougall. He knows them well, and he told me that he used to have one as a kid.