An old pin fire shotgun

JimFox

New member
I have an old 16 gage DB pin fire. Damascus barrels, overall the gun is tight, but nothing fancy. Some light scroll engraving. Looks like it was (when new) a rather nice field grade gun.

As far as I can determine there is no manufacturer's name on the gun. 4 digit serial number a couple of places underneath the metal strip that joins the barrel. Also the initials J.C.

On the underside of the chambers each barrel carries a stamp, that is probably a proof mark, preceding the words St. Etienne. Then a number - 16.8 - which I assume is the gage and shell length(?).

A graceful looking little gun with 30 & 5/8s inch barrels.

I'd appreciate any light that someone can shed on the origin of the gun.
 
St. Etienne means that it was either made or proofed (made is my guess) there.

St. Etienne was the location of the principle French military arsenal for something like 220 years, and was an area that developed a thriving commercial firearms manufacturing trade.
 
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