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<  16ga. General Discussion  ~  OT: For the price of a Benelli: William Cashmore 12 ga.
WyoChukar
PostPosted: Wed Mar 10, 2021 1:30 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 16 Jul 2015
Posts: 2124
Location: Hudson,Wy

I know it's not a 16 but I thought a few folks might like to take a gander at some eye candy. Let's just call this a gun that shoots like a 12 and carries like a 16...that carries like a 20.

British guns are quite the bargain these days and I picked up this Wm. Cashmore 12 ga. for the price of a Benelli auto. Actually less than many of the Benelli models.

There once was a time I never dreamed that: I would own a British gun, that a British double would cost less than many autos, and that autos would ever be priced more than $100 above a comparable pump. Strange time we live in. This is the second time I have done this. Last year's Cogswell & Harrison 16 was the first.

Specs: 12 ga. 2 3/4" chambers. 27 1/2" fluid steel barrels, 1 1/4 oz. nitro proof. Mod and full. 6 lbs. (feels like less). Hidden third bite fastener. Splinter forearm & Prince of Wales stock combo. Single non selective trigger. Balances at hinge pin. The barrels were replaced by the factory at some point. Perhaps there is an original Damascus set floating around somewhere?

The good news is that it feels very much like my Cogswell 16, making these two a great combo for upland hunting. The Cogswell is choked sk & mod, so the Cashmore picks up where the Cogswell leaves off. This thing should be a perfect late season chukar gun (or snowcock). It looks like I am going to make use of the 1000's of 12 ga. 1 1/8 oz. wads on the shelf after all.

The bad news is that it was doubling (firing both barrels) when I tested it with both 3/4 oz target loads (only fired it once with both chambers full) and with empty chambers.

As with every double gun, I ended up custom fitting screw driver bits so I could work on it without doing additional screw damage (there were minor signs it had been apart previously). The culprit seems to be insufficient clearance (actually slight negative clearance) of the catch "pawl" that lifts the left sear, allowing it to simultaneously fire the left barrel quite often. Shortening the tip of the catch .010" did the trick. A minor chamfer also needed to be increased slightly as redundant measure to insure doubling could not occur.

It appears I am a magnet for high grade guns that need work. My three best guns have need internal adjustment. My custom Lefever needed the most. The Cogswell required only 15 minutes worth of work to "synchronize" the safety pins (another clearance issue). This Cashmore only needed 15 minutes work...after lengthy studying of the problem. All were well worth my invested efforts considering the quality of guns and the prices paid. I'm happy. Now if only September would hurry back!

Dave...now you know why I passed on the Grade 3 Smith, and an A grade Fox. This was like buying a very high grade Parker or Smith for a dime on the dollar.


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Dave in Maine
PostPosted: Wed Mar 10, 2021 2:05 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 12 Sep 2010
Posts: 1972
Location: Maine

Yup.

That's a shotgun!

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skeettx
PostPosted: Wed Mar 10, 2021 2:09 pm  Reply with quote
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BEAUTIFUL!!!

Thank you for sharing

Mike


Last edited by skeettx on Thu Mar 11, 2021 7:10 am; edited 1 time in total
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Purple16
PostPosted: Wed Mar 10, 2021 2:42 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 19 Jan 2019
Posts: 283
Location: Idaho & South Dakota

Superb!

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fn16ga
PostPosted: Wed Mar 10, 2021 2:50 pm  Reply with quote
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WOW! really nice .
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fn16ga
PostPosted: Wed Mar 10, 2021 2:51 pm  Reply with quote
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WOW! really nice . To bad it is missing a trigger . Laughing
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Pine Creek/Dave
PostPosted: Wed Mar 10, 2021 4:02 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 17 Mar 2017
Posts: 2787
Location: Endless Mountains of Pa

Garhart,

Have fun with your new Brit gun, good hunting to ya!

Pine Creek/Dave
L.C. Smith Man

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MSM2019
PostPosted: Wed Mar 10, 2021 5:14 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 04 Mar 2019
Posts: 1819
Location: Central ND

Nice find Garhart.

Beautiful stuff!!

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Gil S
PostPosted: Thu Mar 11, 2021 3:38 am  Reply with quote
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Joined: 04 Mar 2008
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Location: Lowcountry Ga.

Gorgeous gun. Over and beyond the last decade, English box locks, especially extractor models (BLNE), have been considered the best bargain in a quality gun. I have a soft spot for the 12 ga., 2" models. Folks who complain about the commercial availability of 16 ga. ammo would shudder at the availability (lack thereof) of the 12 ga. 2" ammo.
Was the Cashmore proofed for 2.75"? Most of mine are 2.5", but one 16 was re-proofed at 2.75". Gil
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skeettx
PostPosted: Thu Mar 11, 2021 7:08 am  Reply with quote
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Gil, I was wondering that also
Would love to see a picture of the barrel proof marks.

Specs: 12 ga. 2 3/4" chambers. 27 1/2" fluid steel barrels, 1 1/4 oz. nitro proof. Mod and full. 6 lbs. (feels like less). Hidden third bite fastener. Splinter forearm & Prince of Wales stock combo. Single non selective trigger. Balances at hinge pin. The barrels were replaced by the factory at some point. Perhaps there is an original Damascus set floating around somewhere?

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Pine Creek/Dave
PostPosted: Thu Mar 11, 2021 12:06 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 17 Mar 2017
Posts: 2787
Location: Endless Mountains of Pa

Garhart,

I try real hard to avoid being a magnet for serious double guns that end up needing work. In reality however a man can pick up some fine old guns being a magnet for guns that need minimal work done on them.

I picked up a high grade L.C. Smith for very reasonable money, because the gentlemen who owned it had no idea that the repair work from the damage done to the gun, was actually quite small. It did need a Master Gun Maker however to complete the repair work.

Sometimes being a magnet for damaged fine guns actually works out to our benefit.

Congrats on the Cashmore 12 gauge!

Pine Creek/Dave
L.C. Smith Man

Right now there are some nice double guns around, and with minimal work restored to pristine condition.


Last edited by Pine Creek/Dave on Thu Mar 18, 2021 12:29 pm; edited 1 time in total

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Dave in Maine
PostPosted: Thu Mar 11, 2021 2:14 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 12 Sep 2010
Posts: 1972
Location: Maine

Shared this with a friend and hunting partner, a doublegun smith and Brit expat. He advises to shy away from the full-up 1 1/4 ounce loads because they will surely rattle your teeth and probably do the same or worse to the gun.
He loves Cashmore's guns and has the highest praise for them.

You did really, really well.

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WyoChukar
PostPosted: Thu Mar 11, 2021 11:00 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 16 Jul 2015
Posts: 2124
Location: Hudson,Wy

The barrels are originally proofed for 2 3/4". I am uncertain of the age of the rest of the gun, but this is a new barrel set, marked as such on the top rib: "New barrels by Wm Cashmore". The marks on the barrels indicate a somewhat modern date range between 1925 and 1954.

The gun may see an occasional 1 1/4 oz load, but my hand loads are mild compared to the overblown shells manufacturers are pushing these days. Primarily, the gun will digest 1oz. and 1 1/8 oz. loads at 1200 fps. For target loads or spreaders, I like 3/4 oz.

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Brewster11
PostPosted: Thu Mar 11, 2021 11:56 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 08 Feb 2009
Posts: 1301
Location: Western WA

Garhart,
Excellent work with that Wm Cashmore, but for the sake of inquiry, why must Benelli be presumed inferior? Their best models are light and carry easily, perform incredibly well, and no less reliable than a century old double. And this coming from an ardent SxS adherent myself, but only because for some purposes they are functionally superior to all others.

Or should we revert to a beautiful arquebus such as that which Benvenuto Cellini wielded in celebrated fashion in Italy on upland game 500 years ago? I grant that you achieved an economic coup with your find, but I suspect that wasn’t your sole intent.

Having followed you ever since I carefully read and admired your article on the 17 Mink when it came out in FFG, I urge you to keep up the good work!

Cheers
B.
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Gil S
PostPosted: Fri Mar 12, 2021 3:14 am  Reply with quote
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Joined: 04 Mar 2008
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Location: Lowcountry Ga.

I didn't take his comparison to a modern Benelli auto as superior vs. inferior. However if he has to explain it to someone, it would be like the saying about the "why" of Harley-Davidson motorcycle ownership. Wink I see his comparison as a price point reference, and okay, more to the point: the difference between hand fitted metal parts, hand chased engraving, hand rubbed oil finish on hand checkered wood versus CNC mass production and laser cut checkering, assuming wooden stock and not styrene. Both guns do the same thing but the route to the finish line was more than slightly different. One is an efficient tool; the other a tool that happens to also be an art form.
https://www.pressreader.com/uk/sporting-shooter/20160401/282265254513880
Gil
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