I have been a fan of double guns made in Turkey since they first started arriving in the US. This has been mentioned in print before, but I have liked those shotguns so much that I bought five of them – all in small gauges – 20-, 28- and .410. Obviously, the Orvis Company in Vermont is very fond of these double guns as well – because several models have become the Orvis Field gun series. The Orvis side-by-side I have for testing is the nicest Turkish gun I’ve seen so far.
Another important point is that these Turkish doubles have always been value priced, and Orvis has stayed with that tradition. Despite their relatively low price, I have never had one problem with any of the five I bought. I didn’t attend the first SHOT Show the Turkish doubles were introduced – but I heard about them. At next year’s show, that was the booth I looked up first. At that time the importer was a company called Armsco based in Des Plaines, Illinois, and I was impressed with what I saw.
So what’s to be impressed about? A close look at the 20-gauge Orvis gun I have for testing easily revived my memories. First off, there’s the fact that all the gauges are built on gauge-specific size receivers. That means the 20- is built on a 20-gauge-size receiver, the 28- is built on 28-gauge-size receivers, and even .410s are built on tiny .410 receivers. (I did buy two of those – one over-and-under and one side-by-side.) If you think this gauge-specific thing about these receivers isn’t huge – just go to an Italian manufacturer to see how many more thousands of dollars you will have to pay for, say, a 28-gauge built on a 28-gauge receiver.
Another impressive feature about these Orvis side-by-sides is that they have side clips. I’m sure most of you know what side clips are, but for those who don’t – side clips are little “ears” milled into the sides of the breech face. The outside of the chambers need to milled or filed down to accept the side clips. Why side clips? They prevent the barrels from moving right and left – so there’s an added strength factor with side clips. If you think this feature isn’t huge check out the price difference between a used English side-by-side with side clips and the same shotgun type without side clips. Believe me, mucho greenbacks are involved.
Yet another reason to look favorably on these guns is that they are hand engraved. Agreed, there’s not a lot of engraving – but that engraving wasn’t done by a laser, acid etching, or rolled on – but engraved by a real living person. Similarly, the checkering is hand done. Checkering cut by an expensive laser is generally just about perfect. But these Orvis Field guns are hand checkered – again by a real person. Maybe that adds something to the value for some folks.
Another classic touch most of these Turkish double guns is a walnut hand-checkered butt plate. The one of my Orvis test gun is beautifully fitted into place. Something I have not seen on any previous Turkish side-by-side is the Greener Crossbolt on the Orvis test gun. This is yet another added strength factor. Most all of you know what a Greener crossbolt is, but for those who don’t – there is a barrel extension that fits down into a slit milled into the top front of the receiver. A crossbolt in the receiver top slides to the left upon opening – but moves to the right upon gun closing – that bolt engaging a precision-drilled hole made in the barrel extension. Adding to the locking system there are two underlocking bolts that move forward from the receiver upon closing – to engage the double lugs built into the bottom of the monobloc. The barrels pivot on a crossbolt.
And yet another very appealing aspect of these shotguns is that the bores are chrome-lined – not just chromed chambers. Further, the barrels are not blued – but black chromed. This means far more corrosion resistance than traditional bluing. These side-by-sides have extractors – not ejectors – which is good because it saves littering your revered bird covers with empty hulls.
The receiver is case colored – as is the forend iron and trigger guard. This is a sideplate gun – not a sidelock. The wood on this Orvis test gun is the best I’ve seen on any previous Turkish gun I have handled. Naturally, it’s Turkish walnut and is replete with figure – both the butt stock and the fore-end. The wood-to-metal fit is also excellent. This model comes with an English straight-hand style stock. The finish, done in oil, is exceptional. Balance point is maybe 3/8 inch in front of the hinge.
I measured the 20-gauge bores: the right barrel bore went .624 and the left barrel bore .629. Five screw-in chokes are supplied. From the most open to the tightest, here’s how they measured for constriction; the one marked xxxxx .632, xxxx .621, xxx .610, xx .601, x .590. The 28-inch barrels weighed 2 pounds 12.5 ounces on my digital postal scale. The Schnabel-shaped semi-beavertail fore-end weighed 9.6 ounces, and the 20 gauge gun itself went 6 pounds 8.5 ounces. This is a very nice weight for a grouse and woodcock gun. If you want something lighter the 28-gauge Orvis Field models are built on a smaller receiver – so expect several ounces less weight. Orvis offers this side-by-side model in 12-, 20-, 28- and .410.
The safety is automatic, and the barrel selector switch is a part of the top tang safety. The triggers are fairly heavy but with minimal creep – and these are mechanical triggers – not inertia.
Since I had this test gun in May all I shot with it was clay targets. You probably know that a 6 ½ pound gun does kick a bit when shooting clay birds, but one would never notice this when shooting a rising ruff. I shot the test gun plenty and there was never one misstep or malfunction. The retail price begins at just under $2000.00. The Orvis website has information on all the Orvis shotguns, so check out www.orvis.com/shotguns for more information.
Nick Sisley has been writing about the outdoors since 1969. He is a Level I NSCA and NSSA Shotgun Instructor, as well as a Certified NRA Shotgun Instructor. He can be reached at nicksisley@hotmail.com.
Poster Winner
This summer 8-year-old Renee Manns from Sigel, Pennsylvania won first place in our poster contest. The topic was “Draw how you learn about the outdoors,” and Renee
drew a picture of her father teaching her about nature while deer hunting.
Renee, who starts 2nd grade in the fall, is passionate about the outdoors. She attends youth field days with her family, and enjoys the horseback riding lessons she got this year for her birthday. She’s also recently moved up in the Girl Scout ranks from a Daisy Scout to a Brownie.
Her parents, Steve and Cindy, are thrilled that their daughter is so enthusiastic about the outdoors. Renee’s two older brothers, Dylan, 12, and Justin, 11, also love spending time out in the woods with their father. The Manns family lives on 100 acres, which they hunt with some regularity. Renee is very excited about this fall, when she will be old enough to go hunting with her brothers and her father for the first time.
Renee received a pair of Steiner binoculars, an official RGS hat and a junior membership for taking first place in the contest.
The 2011 Junior essay contest was cancelled due to lack of participation.
A Northern Anniversary
While Ruffed Grouse Society members are in a celebratory mood for the 50th anniversary, a tip of the hat should be directed to RGS Canada for a 30th anniversary.
The Ruffed Grouse Society of Canada was formed in 1981. Existing records show the initial chapter started in the Kitchener-Waterloo area and eventually became the Grand River Chapter.
As the number of chapters grew, the need became apparent for a Canadian charter and separate organization. In 1988, the Ruffed Grouse Society of Canada was formed and Blair Smith was hired as the first executive director.
Smith guided the society through its early days and the number of chapters grew. At one point, there were 19 chapters in four Canadian provinces in the late 1980s and early 1990s. These included the original Grand River chapter, Toronto, Ottawa, Tillsonburg, Oshawa and others in Ontario. Strong chapters were also present in Quebec in Montreal and Quebec City. In the Maritimes, Fredericton has been the stalwart of the Society’s presence, but there was also a Saint John chapter.
After Jim Abbey took the helm as executive director, chapters were added in Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia in conjunction with Maritime coordinator John Lockerbie. The Farmers and Friends chapter was also added in Ontario’s Lambton County.
The RGS operations in Canada are guided by a Canadian board of directors. A few people were at the helm of the organization after Smith’s retirement, but Jim Abbey was the mainstay for many years.
Through the late 1990s and early part of this decade, some chapters were dissolved. This was the end of the Grand River Chapter, Sudbury and Farmers and Friends.
Through these years, the board of directors knew something had to change. Insurance costs were skyrocketing and there was increased competition in the fundraising game. The Canadian Board realized this problem with the scale of operation as early as
2002, reviewed their operating status with head office in the US – looking for cost effective mergers.
A motion was passed by the board of directors in 2003 to dissolve RGS Canada. The intent was to see the operations of RGS in Canada come back under the head organization in the United States. A Canadian operations person was to be hired in
Ontario and the Maritimes. The hope was Canadian companies, charities and industry would come on board to help fund these positions until the chapters became self-sustaining.
The end effect would be chapters would have as much, or more, money for conservation efforts. Along the way, the economic downturn came along and the plan unfortunately didn’t come to fruition.
Under the leadership of Gary McWilliams, RGS Canada was reformed. He recruited most of the present members of the Canadian board of directors. Strong dinners are still held by the North Shore Chapter (Tillsonburg) and Fredericton. Youth programs are being developed by all chapters.
The Fredericton Chapter Origins
The start of the Fredericton chapter is an interesting tale. Karl Chase, now deceased, and Gordon Lebel attended an RGS dinner in Calais, Maine in 1991. Chase used the occasion to approach the RGS regional director at the dinner and ask if they could have a dinner in Fredericton.
Charter chapter members were Chase, Lebel, Ross Darling, Pierra LaFrance, Brad Woodside and David Wade. Woodside is now the Fredericton mayor.
Lockerbie became chapter chairman 16 years ago and was asked to be regional director. He has since been asked to serve as the RGS Coordinator for Canada and is doing an excellent job.
Fredericton holds an annual dinner and shoot. Planning is now underway to host a VIP banquet on November 24, 2011. Tickets are $350 and all attendees are sponsors. Some fantastic prizes are being lined up. All who attend get one ticket for an elimination draw that will give the winner a chance at one of the following: $10,000 cash, an ATV, a trip to Fiji or a Newfoundland moose hunt. The $350 package also includes a $325 tax receipt. Attendees can pay $500 to get four chances at the grand prize or $1,000 for 10 chances at the grand prize. If successful, there’s hope this will be an option for the rest of the country.
The North Shore Chapter, based in Tillsonburg, traces its roots to a sporting clays course being operated by Smith. Archer Downey, Ray Causyn and myself were the core of the initial committee in 1989. Over the years, the committee has held a trap shoot with Oxford Sportsmen’s Club. When Abbey came on board, he started the Shoot ‘N Fun event for new shooters. The committee is moving from that event to a youth mentored hunt.
Habitat projects have been stressed by the committee since day one. They have a goal of completing at least one demonstration project every year.
The Future
“We have nothing to do but grow and expand,” Lockerbie said. “We seem to be expanding in New Brunswick. We hope to expand into Alberta within a year and add chapters in Ontario.”
He has posted advertisements on Internet sites for new chapters and receives many queries asking where the nearest chapter is. Lockerbie stresses that it’s easy to be involved in a RGS chapter, because it doesn’t have to include soliciting donations.