I own a Forehand Arms single-barrel shotgun. I'm not sure what date it was manufactured, but it was probably made around 1900. The patent date is on the receiver and it's Feby 4, 1896 (or 1898; I can't make out whether the last digit is a 6 or an 8.) I'm thinking that I heard somewhere that this was the first break-barrel shotgun with a shell ejector, but don't know if thats true. (That ejector still throws shells out of there like a champ, too.)
About 20 years ago, a gunsmith told me hat the barrel isn't Damascus steel. He said he could see the mill marks on the barrel, but I'm not sure. I really want to shoot this old gun. It's still tight as a tick, probably thanks to a second lock on the receiver.
I want to buy paper-hulled black powder shells but can't find anyone who manufactures them. As my fallback position, I've considered buying brass shotshell hulls and loading them myself with black powder. ("Bold talk from a one-eyed fat man". I've never handloaded anything in my life.)
I don't know what length manufactured shells to buy, or what length brass hulls to buy because I can't determine whether there is a specific length chamber in this single barrel gun or not; there's no obvious difference that I can see inside the barrel that would indicate that part was a chamber that was in some way different from the barrel. I can't feel any kind of ledge that would indicate the end of a chamber, and the shells appear to be held in place only by the rim of the shell. When I look inside the barrel from either end, it all looks like a smoothbore shotgun barrel to me. So, I guess crimped 2 3/4 inch manufactured black powder shells would work as well as anything, they would be approximately 2 1/2 inches long after crimping, and I guess that uncrimped 2 1/2 inch brass shell hulls that I handloaded myself would work too. (I've heard that I can't - or I shouldn't- crimp a brass shotshell, but should seal them with a cardboard wad with glue.)
Any suggestions on where to buy blackpowder shotshells? Anybody want to critique my plans for this gun? Anybody know anything about whether there is a chamber in a single barrel shotgun that is somehow different than the rest of the barrel? the size shells I mentioned work.
About 20 years ago, a gunsmith told me hat the barrel isn't Damascus steel. He said he could see the mill marks on the barrel, but I'm not sure. I really want to shoot this old gun. It's still tight as a tick, probably thanks to a second lock on the receiver.
I want to buy paper-hulled black powder shells but can't find anyone who manufactures them. As my fallback position, I've considered buying brass shotshell hulls and loading them myself with black powder. ("Bold talk from a one-eyed fat man". I've never handloaded anything in my life.)
I don't know what length manufactured shells to buy, or what length brass hulls to buy because I can't determine whether there is a specific length chamber in this single barrel gun or not; there's no obvious difference that I can see inside the barrel that would indicate that part was a chamber that was in some way different from the barrel. I can't feel any kind of ledge that would indicate the end of a chamber, and the shells appear to be held in place only by the rim of the shell. When I look inside the barrel from either end, it all looks like a smoothbore shotgun barrel to me. So, I guess crimped 2 3/4 inch manufactured black powder shells would work as well as anything, they would be approximately 2 1/2 inches long after crimping, and I guess that uncrimped 2 1/2 inch brass shell hulls that I handloaded myself would work too. (I've heard that I can't - or I shouldn't- crimp a brass shotshell, but should seal them with a cardboard wad with glue.)
Any suggestions on where to buy blackpowder shotshells? Anybody want to critique my plans for this gun? Anybody know anything about whether there is a chamber in a single barrel shotgun that is somehow different than the rest of the barrel? the size shells I mentioned work.
But I "ain't the brightest knife on the tree in the shed"
Me gonna have to ponder my options a bit...