Old caplock gun?

[doug60]

One thing I would check before anyone else plays cowboys and Indians with your gun is to be sure it aint loaded.Maybe you have so don't take it wrong,but many old guns were left loaded.

 

[Caleb Baker]

I have checked and nobody has played Cowboys and Indians with it for at least fifty years so I'm n it sure when or who would've done that

 

[TFoley]

Just found another mark that I thought was an age mark but turns out to be a sideways cursive EL. I found the NRA museum website with proof marks and it says that that exact proof mark is Belgian circa 1852 from the proof house of Liege. It says the type of proof and gun is provisional black powder proof for breech loading guns and rifled barrels. It does look like a rifle barrel. Any additional information about this would still be appreciated

Correct - Épreuve Liége - Liége Proofhouse.

Hence the metric bore stamp of about .44-45 calibre.

tac

 

[bpd303]

That is the rear ram rod thimble, there should also be one or two on the barrel.

 

[Claude Mathis]

I have checked and nobody has played Cowboys and Indians with it for at least fifty years so I'm n it sure when or who would've done that

Are you saying that you did check to see if it's loaded?

 

[Caleb Baker]

Okay, now it's all coming together. In your opinion, does the circa 1852 dating sound correct?

 

[Caleb Baker]

I did check to make sure. That was the first thing I did when I came into possession of it

 

[TFoley]

Okay, now it's all coming together. In your opinion, does the circa 1852 dating sound correct?

Sir, I am not the expert here. I could not possibly comment based on the level of ignorance that I have thus-far attained.

Others here are giving what seem to me to be entirely appropriate answers.

tac

 

[Zonie]

Okay, now it's all coming together. In your opinion, does the circa 1852 dating sound correct?

IMO, it would be virtually impossible to narrow down the date the gun was produced to a specific year.

The only way that could be done is if the gun was serialized and we had the makers original records, including serial numbers and dates of when each gun was produced.

That is why a rough generalazation like 1835 to 1860 is about as good as anyone can give.

Even this rough estimate is only a guess because similar guns were made by major gun producers for sale in Africa and South America as recently as the middle or late 20th century.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

Those single barrel shotguns were sold mail order to about 1910 by hardware companies and even Sears they sold for about 3 to 4 dollars. Similar guns were sold again in the 1950's and 1960's for about $30.

 

[Zonie]

The Muzzleloading Forum automatically blocks links to other forums.

Hopefully, you don't mind me borrowing a photo from the linked site and posting it here?