ID EIC smoothbore percussion ~12 gauge?

Hello.

This plain Jane muzzleloader was passed down to me long ago and I've finally decided to research it but have spent most of the day getting nowhere. As much as it goes against my grain I'm pulling over to ask for directions.

The few marks on this thing weren't made well and are only on the barrel. It looks pitted so rust might have been removed decades back. The prominent mark (atop the barrel and not large) appears to be E I C with something that might be a star or crown but it's hard to tell. It could be E I G, though.

If it's the "East India Company" the proof doesn't match anything I've seen of theirs. Also, I've been hunting for anything with a similar trigger guard without success.

Anyway, enough with the background, here are the sleuthing clues:

Half stock, per se. Octagonal Barrel until near the stock's end. Barrel wall gets fairly thin toward the muzzle. Barrel is 36 13/16" long. Buttplate to muzzle is ~52 1/2".

Images:




Thanks,

-VenCain

I think EIG came from Belgium. Maybe a more knowledgeable member will jump in with the correct info. In any case, I like the looks of the shotgun very much. Thanks for sharing.

ELG = Épreuve Liége - Liége Proof House, Belgium. This style dates from at least 1854. You mention other proof marks but don't show them. Please do.

Certainly. Different lighting conditions today makes it look more like EIG than EIC to me. It depends on your viewing angle in relation to the light. The pitting does not help. As an aside, the greenish tint causes me to think this thing was lacquered once upon a time.

The EIG* (?) mark is atop:


There's what appears to be a P on the side. You can see it in relation to the EIG on the left and the percussion nipple to the right:


All the normally hidden marks on the bottom, nipple at right.


Closeups, left to right:




Thanks,

-VenCain

I did a search on "ELG proof gun" and the first hit was Proofmarks which shows this exact ELG mark as British from1811-1892 then, with the addition of a crown atop it, as Belgium from 1893 onwards.

This doc suggests a handful of Liege proofs that seem to have been shared between the two countries which I find confusing.

Thanks,

-VenCain

vencain said:

I did a search on "ELG proof gun" and the first hit was Proofmarks which shows this exact ELG mark as British from1811-1892 then, with the addition of a crown atop it, as Belgium from 1893 onwards. This doc suggests a handful of Liege proofs that seem to have been shared between the two countries which I find confusing. Thanks, -VenCain

Click to expand...

The reason for that is simple. The proof marks were NOT shared, but Belgian barrel makers sold literally tens of thousands of barrels to British gun makers during that time.

My reference material, obtained in the reference section of the Banc Épreuves des armes á Feu - the principal Belgian Proof House in Liége, (Epreuves | Banc d'Epreuves des Armes | Liège) shows -

E over LG over star in large format like the one on the OP gun, as being in use from 1818 to 1853, after which it became the mark for definitive proof. After 1893, and to show conformity with Germany's recently introduced gun proof laws of 1891, the oval cartouche was surmounted with a crown, denoting definitive BP proof. It replaced the original mark except for muzzleloaders.

TFoley,

Much appreciated.

-VenCain

As TFoley mentioned, a lot of Belgian guns and barrels were sold to English builders and stores and the British require proof testing for all guns sold there.
This will result in barrels that carry both Belgian and British proof marks.

Hi,
That proof mark was never British. It is the mark for Liege, Belgium since 1810 or so. In 1893, a crown was added on top. Your gun has no characteristics that suggest anything was British made.

dave