Antique Eye-Candy, 16-gauge Flavor

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This is one of my most-prized possessions, given to me for Christmas several years ago by my wife, Linda. It is a TW Stake 16-gauge double. It's a lovely old gun, not without it's nicks and dings but I view these as the inevitable consequence of a long life. Judging from the worn checkering on the stocks it was a busy life too; this was no gun-cabinet queen!

T.W. Stake was a trade-brand name used by Neumann Freres in Belgium for guns imported to the US by Schoverling Daley & Gates, a New York City gun dealer in business from 1873 to 1940. The TW Stake name was in use from 1903 to 1930. From the proofs it is guessed that this gun was imported prior to WW1. The TW Stake brand was aimed at the entry-level of high-end shotguns, with high-end quality at a relatively low price. Being of Belgian manufacture it could not have commanded the sort of price a fine English or French gun would have in any case. People at the time would have been rather shocked to discover how many of their fine European guns had barrels made in Belgium... but that's another story. Today these shotguns can often be found on various auction sites for $500 or less, but mine is in better condition than other guns of this brand that I have seen online.

The gun features simple but excellently rendered engraving, a Greener Lock, dual triggers, an automatic ejector and premium-grade wood. Small details impress, like the finish of the interior parts and the gold 'S' inlaid in the tang to indicate that the safety is on. The 29-1/2" barrels are labelled 'Krupp Fluid Steel' to distinguish them from the then-usual damascus barrels.

The gun's handling is excellent, though at a svelte 6.2 pounds it does kick like a 12-gauge. That doesn't really bother me; it's a delightful gun to shoot. Lovingly crafted and well-used it is easily my favorite shotgun. It is somewhat marred by the stock- at some point in it's life a spacer was inserted to extend the stock and a rubber-and-leather butt-pad was installed. I was resigned to accept it as simply anther part of the gun's history, but a friend who was brought up in the English gun trade is begging me to remove it. Whether or not I will do so is the subject of another thread, but I am leaning that way.

So, without further ado here is the promised eye-candy:
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"Aim for their foil beanies! It's the only way to be sure..."
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