Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters So...how bout Charles Askins, Jr.?

Normally I wouldn't mess with a firearm with such a provenance.

But, when I got it, the finish orange pealing, was such a mess I started working with it. When I found out who owned, it, I shut down my efforts, took it to a real pro, James Flynn, who I've known most of my life.

James is retired, but in his heyday was a well known shotgun guru, working on Purdy, H&H, Boss shotguns from all over. He could build and harden metal parts, was a master stock maker.

So, he did his thing, bringing out the beautiful grain that Browning has fixed the Major up with. He was personal friends with the Brownings. So, even though he bought the gun (it wasn't given to him), a Gr I. I know this isn't Gr I wood, more like Gr. IV So, he did get special handling. The gun came from Belgium marked, F/M chokes. Browning gunsmiths custom opened the chokes to the Major's specs. He was a bird hunter, knew exactly what the wanted. His books and writings cover the details. The metal is untouched.

The pad when I got it was a replacement and in very poor condition. James was known for his leather covered pads, so I let him put one on this gun. It's not a Hawkins like the Major had ordered, but was period correct. He could have had one.

Notice the trigger placement. Receiver has two trigger slots, this trigger sits like the back one of a double trigger, but is set up as a factory single trigger. This was prior to Val Browning's trigger design which he developed after his Dad passed. Val's trigger is the std. Superposed trigger still in use. I like the way this trigger feels, evidently the Major did, too. He knew exactly what he wanted when he ordered this gun.

The rather unique profile is what drew me to this gun in the first place. It was different. I had no idea how different....

DF