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David McKay Brown 28g Round Action, Trigger Plate Side-by-Side Game Gun completed in 1994. Based on Dixon’s famous design with the lock work over the trigger plate allowing for a round and very slim action body that incorporates bowed main springs, is self-opening and has its ejector system in the action body. This gun is also fitted with two triggers cast for the RH shooter and automatic safety. 

Traditional color hardened finish on action, triggers, and forend iron. The top lever and guard bow are blacked, and the safety latch, barrel lifters, ejector shoes, and forends’ push-rods are Nitre blued. The word “SAFE” is inlaid in gold. Actions are engraved in full coverage Scottish scroll with Maker’s name in flowing banners on each side of the action body. Donald Dallas’ book, David McKay Brown, Scotland’s Gun and Rifle Maker (2011), the ledger copy lists Geoff Moore as the engraver.     

Both sets of chopper lump barrels are 29” and have smooth, concave game ribs, 2 ¾" chambers, and are numbered “1” and “2” respectively, in gold on the top rib and both sets have 1994 London proof marks. The barrels numbered “1” are choked .011” and .017” and barrels numbered “2” .011” and .022”. Each set of barrels is marked: Imported for Mr. Ed Hinkle of Lexington, North Carolina, U.S.A.”. Mr. Hinkle was a well-known philanthropist and gun collector from North Carolina and many of the fine small-bore guns imported to the U.S. came in for him.  

The nicely figured walnut stock has a straight hand grip with a 14” LOP over a checkered butt and a stock oval on the toe line of the stock has the initials: “E.H.”. Each set of barrels has its own splinter forend with Anson style push rod and are marked “1” or “2” in gold on both the inside and outside of the forend irons. The gun’s weight, 5 lbs. 12 oz., is the same no matter which barrels are being used. 

Finally, the guns are complete in the Maker’s motor case for two sets of barrels.  

Overall gun is in very good to excellent condition. Case colors are slightly faded on bottom of action and around the hinge pin, but overall have a nice even color that is softened a bit over time and through a little use. Barrels remain excellent with perfect bores.  

Of the 5 frame sizes DMB made for his side-by-side, scaled appropriately to their individual bore sizes, the 28 bore is the sweet spot. In my experience, the nice proportions of the 28g frame size fitted with 29” barrels, makes the best configuration one can have in a DMB gun. This gun suggests Mr. Hinkle arrived at the same conclusion. 

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