help id this double

[AkDan]

I'll post specs as best I can at the end. It's a 10ga double my dad picked up obviously used. The wrist was cracked and a hammer was missing so wit some repair she's up and working again. He's used this gun quite a bit over the years, we've both wondered more about it.

So here's the pics, the specs are just some notes I took from the pics. There is quite a few pics so bear with me here.

....
oops didnt realize I had to upload to the internet first...gonna take a few to get them all online.

 

[AkDan]

 

[AkDan]

some of the marks on the underside, has quite a few actually?!?!

 

[AkDan]

more of those 'maker' marks I assume?

 

[AkDan]

there is checkering on the fore grip and wrist area....extremely fade/worn off

I think that's the master line on the checkering?

 

[AkDan]

dunno if this is of any value, under side muzzle end, the stop for the ram rod.

 

[AkDan]

This is on the underside of the butt end of the stock a few inches up...we had to replace it as this piece was missing. You can see the outline from a slightly larger 'medallion' that was here....ideas on this one?

 

[AkDan]

 

[AkDan]

Dad added the cross's to both hammers.

 

[AkDan]

Ok that's the pics....I'll have to find the notes, thought I had them handy, in the mean time any idears to who built this smoothie and maybe a time frame? She's been great on geese and turkeys for my father!

If you need more pics it might take awhile, I live 3500 miles away from 'home'. (unfortunatly!)

 

[Lorne Johnson]

There is a Liege proof mark on the flat, so it would appear to be a Belgian gun. The overall look would be fairly consistent with that.

There doesn't seem to be a small hole in the blowout plug (which became popular in the 1840's). So, I'm guessing (could easily be wrong) 1830's.

Most Belgian guns were guild guns, so it's unlikely you'll find a famous maker with a street address.

Sure looks like it's got a lot of special stories to tell!

 

[paulvallandigham]

The proof mark is definitely Belgian. You might "SEE" those other marks better, both on the bottom of the barrels, and the rib, if you did pencil rubs of them. Put paper over the metal, and rub a pencil over the marks thru the paper. It brings out a lot of details that are difficult to photograph.

I can't tell from the photos if the barrels are true Damascus steel or cold roll steel that has been twist finished. Can you tell better looking at it person? I agree that the gun dates to the mid 19th century, but narrowing it further would be very difficult. If it has no choke in either barrel, then you can be sure it was not made later than 1870 or so.
And, it probably dates before 1860, considering the interest in choking shotguns that Greener had, and wrote about, in the late 1840s. Choke caught on in England and in Europe before it became popular here in America, IIRC.

 

[RickD]

If the gun could only talk

 

[TFoley]

more of those 'maker' marks I assume?

Crown over N = Liege proof house inspection mark - 1853-1877. Not used after 1877 when it was replaced by star over A.

Laminated steel = Laminated steel [allegedly]

NOT made between 1847 and 1852, when Monsieur F-J Championmont was the inspector. I have no record of an inspector with the initials of H.P.

By a process of elimination, this gun was made between 1853 and 1877.

tac
Supporter of the Cape Meares Lighthouse Restoration Fund

 

[410-er]

This might help.
http://damascus-barrels.com/Belgian_All_Proofmarks.html

 

[TFoley]

This might help.
http://damascus-barrels.com/Belgian_All_Proofmarks.html[/quote]

Hmmmmm. That, and the near-identical list in the 1978 Gun Digest, is what I used too.

tac
Supporter of the Cape Meares Lighthouse Restoration Fund

 

[AkDan]

both barrels are cyl bores.

As for telling if it's cold rolled or not I wouldnt have the first inkling to be able to tell lol. Well that and the gun is in Mn, and I'm in AK. If you can explain the process of figuring that out let me know and I'll pass it along to my old man.

Definatly if this gun could talk. I'd like to build a new stock for it with it being almost completly broke in the wrist. Dad has it pinned and so far it's held up great.

 

[AkDan]

and btw thanks for the help and all the great info! He was pretty stoked when I called him this afternoon.

Is there anything else I can do to help pin down the date of this gun? Fun stuff to find out the specs of it!!!!

 

[TFoley]

...Is there anything else I can do to help pin down the date of this gun?

Five posts up, I wrote - 'By a process of elimination, this gun was made between 1853 and 1877.'

That's it.

tac
Supporter of the Cape Meares Lighthouse Restoration Fund

 

[AkDan]

Thanks Tac....wasnt sure if there was a way to narrow it more or not....again thank you for taking the time! He was pretty happy about all the help!