Niles’ Guide to “Affordable” Double Barrel Shotguns in America 1875-1945 by Nicholas Niles, Jr.


In his guide covering 1875-1945, Niles shows how the first truly affordable double barrel shotguns were adapted about 1875 from the excellent, but expensive, hammer and hammerless guns that had evolved in England and the U.S. By about 1890, these costly doubles were being replaced by cheaper English and Belgian Export guns whose low pries were consciously planned to attract cost conscious buyers. Pricing was primarily based on careful study of the market rather than on factory cost.