Need Help Identifying 2x2, Muzzle loading Percussion Belgian Shotgun

[Gpcooke]

Hi All,

I just recently joined the forum, am a C&R collector and just picked up this gun as a project. Once cleaned up, the gun sparked a lot of interest. I believe it is Belgian, but am not sure of the date or maker. If anyone can provide information on this example, please chime in. Here are the pics. Thanks very much!

Greg

 

[Eutycus]

Howdy and Welcome from Texas!

 

[SOLANCO]

Welcome!
There are members with knowledge of proof markings and I think you will hear from them.

 

[64Springer]

Curious about bore size.

If the 176 is meant to be 17.6, it's a .69 caliber or 14ga.

What does the bore measure?

 

[TFoley]

It IS Belgian. It dates from around 1840 - 50 from the style of lock. Without any form of name visible on it, it's going to be impossible to ascribe a maker or even retailer, mainly because guns like this were made by the tens of thousands for the burgeoning homesteading trend in America between those dates and immediately post ACW. By the time that companies like Sears, Robuck and Co had gotten themselves organised, they were selling a couple of thousand like this every day of the week by mail order, for as little as $5......

 

[Gpcooke]

Curious about bore size.

If the 176 is meant to be 17.6, it's a .69 caliber or 14ga.

What does the bore measure?

Hey Springer,

Looks like .81 on both muzzles... Does that make it a 12ga?

 

[Gpcooke]

It IS Belgian. It dates from around 1840 - 50 from the style of lock. Without any form of name visible on it, it's going to be impossible to ascribe a maker or even retailer, mainly because guns like this were made by the tens of thousands for the burgeoning homesteading trend in America between those dates and immediately post ACW. By the time that companies like Sears, Robuck and Co had gotten themselves organised, they were selling a couple of thousand like this every day of the week by mail order, for as little as $5......

Thanks! So they aren't particularly rare... Is there any sort of collector's market for these now?

 

[64Springer]

Hey Springer,

Looks like .81 on both muzzles... Does that make it a 12ga?

That's a monster.

8ga is .835

9ga is .802

 

[Gpcooke]

That's a monster.

8ga is .835

9ga is .802

Sorry, I misread my caliper. They are between .708 and .71

 

[Dobegrant]

Welcome from Arizona, very interesting gun you have there

 

[TreeMan]

I have a nice Belgian original exactly like yours. Mine measures out as a 15 gauge. I use 15 gauge components when shooting it. They are nice shooting ol girls if everything on yours is safe to shoot. I got mine really cheap because one of the hammers has been replaced and doesn’t match exactly.

 

[LSLibelo]

Welcome from California.

 

[TFoley]

Thanks! So they aren't particularly rare... Is there any sort of collector's market for these now?

Not that I'm aware of. there were several HUNDRED ateliers in Liége alone, all churning these workaday guns out literally by the wagon-load. They make good decoration pieces, though. Seeing that those with names on represented, for the most part, fake takes on well-known brands of the day, like 'Hulland & Hulland', 'Smith' [without any initials], 'Wostley-Rechards' and so on, they are not, in general, taken seriously.

They played their part in the building of America when it was heading West, and deserve recognition for that alone. The better-class were sold by better-class retailers, and priced accordingly. When a Remington shotgun could cost $20 or more, these could be had for $10. Money was hard to find - what would you have bought?

 

[Sam squanch]

They have to be in tip top shooting condition to bring any kind of money. Most of these were used hard , then put in the attic or chicken coop once cheaper breechloading shotguns were available.