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Moore shotgun?

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N.Y. Yankee

32 Cal.
Joined
Feb 27, 2013
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Ever heard of a Moore side-by-side 12ga percussion gun? It has a rounded checkered pistol grip stock, as opposed to a straight grip.30" (I think) barrels. I'm told it was made in Belgium and should not be shot because "they were not as good quality barrels as an English gun". It seems to be in nice condition. Solid, not beat up, action is smooth and tight. I may buy it as a curiosity piece but would like to learn more about it.
 
Image will help some English sxs were built with a pistol grip by English makers the proof marks will tell you where it was made.
Feltwad
 
Moore produced a variety of SxS guns both in Birmingham and London, the proof marks identify which. They were solid guns (depending on how they have been cared for). I have a Moore and Harris (a sometime partner), that is quite a nice gun, that I use to shoot skeet and on live birds. Proofed at 15 gauge, London.
 
I picked up an English made Moore from Cletus Klein estate a few months ago. Nice shotgun. Have not shot it yet.

Fleener
 
I’ve got a Moore 10 gauge double gun I traded for last Summer.... still haven’t shot it.

But turkey season’s just around the corner, hopefully I’ll have a good load worked up by then.

4B0469DF-F62C-4E89-A782-1A4557FC0245.jpeg


5FC39C98-E13E-458E-BEFB-D09FA35AADD2.jpeg
 
You will find that the pistol grip was built on more of the big bore wildfowling guns than the game guns . Enclosed is a image of sxs 6 bore with a pistol grip
Feltwad
sxs 6 bore
 
There are William Moores &' William Moores.' If made for the English market they are generally well made guns . But there are a LOT of 'William Moores made for export probably later that while serviceable are poorer quality heavy and often have a great drop to the stock these being made to the US market taste & more down to a price and heavy affairs . I would not disparage the Belgium proof house they did certainly turn out lots of guns for the cheaper end of the market but not unsafe as such. You get famous names on poor articles either made later & useing the name they bought or simply spurious to con some less discerning buyer
In short if the gun handles like wand its for the UK market if it's heavy its more likely for the US markets . I well remember a double early BL hammer gun by J D Dougall I examined in Ohio it was a fine quality gun but heavy as lead and very bent in the stock like you where shooting a long rifle and made stout to take hellasious charged at sitting game . clearly made for the US style of shooting . .You couldn't sell such a gun in the UK since it would be considered ill suited to the style of walking all day shooting at flying or running game as it presented in a snap shot .
Regards Rudyard
 
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