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Old shotgun information

5K views 7 replies 6 participants last post by  BillM 
#1 ·
I was given an old shotgun from my father when he passed and I cannot find anyone local to get information regarding it's origin or value. It looks to be an early cartridge shotgun based on hammer and firing pin with no rifling in the barrel. Markings include: P on barrel at start of chamber, G on left side of stock, P on top of stock where sliding in cartidge, H behind hammer, 170 on slide bar of extractor, R125 on firing pin block. Barrel has almost no bluing left and stock is worn and cracked, this is a decorator piece as I don't think anyone would want to actually fire it.
 

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#3 ·
Looks to me to be an old percussion possibly military rifle converted to cartridge shotgun. historically interesting and a fine conversation piece. But I doubt very valuable. But I digress to more knowledgeable experts.
 
#4 ·
I believe what you have is called a Zulu Shotgun.

First some country's army had muzzle-loading rifles. Then when cartridges came along, they came up with designs to convert the muzzle-loaders in the armory to use this new invention. Thus the swinging trap-door arrangement at the breech.

Later on when the army changed to newer, more efficient guns, these older rifles were surplused off, and oft-times either smoothbore barrels were put on them, or the rifled barrel was bored smooth, and they were sold to developing countries (like in Africa) as hunting shotguns.

Dixie Gun Works has some for 175 bucks, retail. So, as Fatstrat said, not very valuable.

http://www.dixiegunworks.com/produc...16136&osCsid=c58bf13ae188b02b152851fd7ba3e1a1

https://www.google.com/search?q=zul...la:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&channel=sb
 
#5 ·
thanks for the post alpo. I gotta get me one of these things!

I have a few other odd shotgun conversions including geehaw type stuff and conversions made of 1871 german rifles, plus a veterli conversion... gotta find me one now!
 
#7 ·
The gun appears to be what is known as a ZULU shotgun. In the late 1880's mostly Belgian gun makers would convert worn out surplus military muzzle loading rifles to breech loading shotguns by cutting off the breech and fitting some sort of a swinging breech block. These shotguns were intended for sale to the natives in Africa so were called ZULUs. Of course some made their way to the United States. They were listed in the Sears Roebuck catalog as late as 1902 for about $3.00 each. If the breech block swings to the right side to open, it's known as a Snider actiuon. If the breech block swings to the left to open, it's known as a Jocelyn action
 
#8 ·
It's a French Tabatiere rifle converted to a shotgun. As others have said they are commonly
called a "Zulu" shotgun. Often confused with a Snider, but the Tabatiere uses a back lock,
and the Snider is sidelock.
 
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