My new toy

Richard Flanders · 12-10-2009, 09:40 PM

I just got this Prussian Daly from G&Howe and it is a beauty. 26" IC/Mod(.010/.020) 12ga with horn butt plate and forend tip and looks like it was hardly ever shot. If it's been refinished in any way, I can't see it. Condition seems to be 95%+. Can't see any evidence of polishing and re bluing. Even has the exact same dimensions and weight as my favorite 26" SG VH12 and feels similar enough that I can't the difference. Dimensionally it's small with a nice slim wrist and weighs just over 7# on my scale. I think G&H said 6#14oz. What a gorgeous gun! A Parker of this quality would cost at least twice what I paid for this, It has stout bbls without a single nick externally and mirror like inside, two locking lugs and a hidden Greener cross bolt so locks up like a vault and the sears and ejectors snap when cocked. 32LPI checkering is near perfect. The forend iron is jeweled inside. This is one precision made gun. It takes a magnifier to see the floorplate seam, which is hidden in the engraving along the front side. The safety is butter smooth but still positive. I am in love!

Autumn Daze · 12-10-2009, 09:44 PM

She's a beauty Rich Congratulations...

Grouse woods?

Richard Flanders · 12-10-2009, 09:53 PM

Pheasants mostly I think. I bought this to leave in Michigan so I won't have to cart a gun back and forth each time.... not so sure I'll be able to part with it that much! It is a work of art. I have another VH12 I may leave there instead.

Tim Sheldon · 12-10-2009, 10:27 PM

Richard, that is a beautiful gun, I think the Daly's are under-rated guns, and on a grade to grade basis, probably supierior to our beloved Parkers. You can't go wrong with that gun, ESPECIALLY in that condition!
Tim

Dean Romig · 12-10-2009, 11:34 PM

Rich, what a stunning little gun! Wait 'til Bill Murphy sees that one - he's a fan of Prussian Dalys.
I'd be more inclined to leave the VH in Michigan and get intimate with your "new toy" in AK

Richard Flanders · 12-11-2009, 03:52 AM

It's got a few warts. I discovered that it's cast a bit for a leftie, but I can get that fixed somehow... someday.... The rim recesses have been reamed a bit and are not quite even, but I have a reamer and can even them out I bet... They were probably too tight for the inconsistent ammo our producers make these days. Sound familiar?? It's so tight it feels like it's never been shot and the metal/metal fit is incredible. Only one screw shows any sign of having been touched with a driver and it's been a long time as every screw slot was full up with dry oil oil gunk. It balances about .5" or less in front of the hinge pin. I've always heard these are good guns; now I believe it. There's a diamond grade on another site but it's not really any nicer than this one of lesser grade. I'll post some close up photos at some point. This pic set is what GH had on their site.

Double Play · 12-11-2009, 09:07 AM

That’s a beauty Rich. I think the Prussian Daly’s are wonderful guns. I have a 34" single barrel from 1925 that I shoot my very best trap scores with and I've owned a few modern trap guns. That gun locks up as tight and has as good wood to metal fit as any gun I've ever owned. Some day I will own a Daly double gun of the same vintage.

Bill Murphy · 12-11-2009, 10:06 AM

Yup, they are the best fitted guns out there. We have a little covey of Lindner and Daly collectors in this area who get together for a show and tell once in a while. The single barrels are as nice as the doubles as Larry's gun shows. My favorite Daly is my 14 pound Krupp barrel eight gauge Lindner, but it doesn't get a lot of use for obvious reasons. It was displayed at a Sandanona Vintagers several years ago. The one that gets shot a bit is a Diamond Grade safetyless straight grip pigeon gun, straight out of PA pigeon country. Richard's gun is rare in 26" light bird gun configuration. Congratulations.

Richard Flanders · 12-11-2009, 10:43 AM

Larry: that gun is stunning. What a beauty!

Double Play · 12-11-2009, 02:24 PM

Thanks Rich,
I recently started hunting with a 26" 12 gage DHE and absolutely love it. What type of steel are the barrels on that Daly made of?

Bill,
Were Krupp barrels used on most of the older Daly’s that you see? My single has Whitworth barrels. Do you think the barrel steel varied by grade as with Parkers?