mystery shotgun

T

TRX

New member
I have a 12 gauge shotgun that is missing the trigger and trigger pin. I can't find anything on it other than a 5-digit (serial?) number on the tang.

Can anyone identify this thing, and maybe suggest where I could purchase the missing parts?

note: the hammer and hammer pin are just stuck outside to show their position in relation to the trigger; the hammer goes inside when properly assembled
 

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There were scads of like shotguns, made around 1900, by several different firms - each making their own under several "brand" names per maker.

Folsom Arms, Crescent Arms, Hopkins & Allen, and many, many more.

Your best bet for parts would be to take it to a large gun show, where there are usually a few traveling parts dealers, and try to match up what you have with what they have, and pick their brains while you're at it.

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I hope you are not planning to shoot that old gun. The barrel is probably Damascus but even if it is not, if it is in the same condition as the receiver, it may be weakened. Either way, the gun could be dangerous to fire.

If you just want a display, any old trigger should do, or one can be carved out of wood or plastic, then painted. You might also be able to find a flat head screw to replace that round head in the trigger guard.

Jim
 
> same condition as the receiver

What condition might that be?
Click to expand...

Rusty and pitted. Even if the barrels are not damascus the chamber may be too short for 2 3/4 inch shells. It could be 2 1/2 or 2 5/8. Even if a 2 3/4 chambers fine it doesn't mean it's a 2 3/4 chamber since shotgun shells are measured after firing.
 
> rusty and pitted

Cosmetic only, in my opinion. Kuhnhausen's Mauser book shows actions that are considerably worse.
 
One problem with Damascus barrels getting rusted and pitted is that the rust travels into the barrel along the interface of the two metal types, so it can actually be a lot worse than it looks.
 
"Kuhnhausen's Mauser book shows actions that are considerably worse."

Mausers were known for the quality of the steel and heat treating used in their production.

Unfortunately, with a lot of these old catalog guns (many were sold through Monkey Ward, Sears, etc.) the steel is, at best, an unknown quantity.

In fact, many were made with ductile iron frames, which is considerably less strong than steel and could be even more weakened by corrosion.
 
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