Identify unknown flintlock side by side gun - The Firearms Forum

Jbounds · 07-20-2012, 04:04 PM

I am trying to find out what I have here. My uncle had this gun in his attic and I can not find any markings on it to identify it other than "London" in gold letters on top of barrels in middle. It has no stamps on it at all other than both barrels are stamped with a 13 on the bottom after taking barrels off. It has some minor burn marks and action seems to be working fine. I think it has a partial load in each barrel but I have no firing caps. I attached some photos in hopping someone could identify it.

Jbounds · 07-20-2012, 04:23 PM

photos attached

hrf · 07-20-2012, 04:58 PM

Welcome to the forum. You have a percussion double, not a flintlock, and please add a pic of the barrels removed showing the area where 13 is marked.

Many guns made in Birmingham and Belgium were marked "London" for prestige.

Pleae measure interior depth of barrels to be sure they aren't loaded, as they were often left loaded so that only percussion caps were needed when ready to fire.

Jbounds · 07-20-2012, 07:35 PM

Thanks fr he help, the inside depth of one was 30 1/2" and the other was 31". I will add two other pictures, per your request.

Jbounds · 07-20-2012, 07:49 PM

hrf, I just added the pictures you mentioned.

hrf · 07-20-2012, 08:04 PM

Thanks; the little crossed halberds marks are Birmingham proofs, so you have an average grade gun made by the Birmingham Trade gunmakers, which may or may not have been retailed in London.

hrf · 07-20-2012, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jbounds

Thanks fr he help, the inside depth of one was 30 1/2" and the other was 31". I will add two other pictures, per your request.

What is the outside length, measured from the forward gold stripe?

You might try compressed air through the barrel nipples to see if barrels are clear.

Jim K · 07-20-2012, 08:18 PM

I am rather glad you had no caps, because firing a gun that might be loaded with an unknown powder and unknown projectile is never a good idea.

In fact, I strongly recommend not firing that gun at all. The barrels are almost certainly Damascus, made by wrapping white-hot lengths of iron and steel around a rod (mandrel) and welding them together with a hammer. Strong enough to pass proof when they were made, those barrels could well be dangerous today even with black powder.

13 is probably the gauge; in the muzzle loading days, shotguns could be ordered in gauges not available in our standardized era, where shotgun gauges go from 10 to 12 to 16 to 20 to 28. The gunmaker provided the appropriate size powder and shot measures as well as wads.

The gun was of moderate good quality when made, but not of high value. Double check to make sure there is no load in the barrels, then consider the gun a wall hanger.

Jim

Hammerslagger · 07-20-2012, 09:31 PM

Excellent posts before this,

In my opinion the gun is not safe to fire today.

07-20-2012, 04:04 PM	#1
Jbounds Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Posts: 5	Identify unknown flintlock side by side gun I am trying to find out what I have here. My uncle had this gun in his attic and I can not find any markings on it to identify it other than "London" in gold letters on top of barrels in middle. It has no stamps on it at all other than both barrels are stamped with a 13 on the bottom after taking barrels off. It has some minor burn marks and action seems to be working fine. I think it has a partial load in each barrel but I have no firing caps. I attached some photos in hopping someone could identify it. -->

07-20-2012, 04:23 PM	#2
Jbounds Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Posts: 5	Re: Identify unknown flintlock side by side gun photos attached Attached Images

07-20-2012, 04:58 PM	#3
hrf Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 2,276	Re: Identify unknown flintlock side by side gun Welcome to the forum. You have a percussion double, not a flintlock, and please add a pic of the barrels removed showing the area where 13 is marked. Many guns made in Birmingham and Belgium were marked "London" for prestige. Pleae measure interior depth of barrels to be sure they aren't loaded, as they were often left loaded so that only percussion caps were needed when ready to fire. Last edited by hrf; 07-20-2012 at 05:25 PM..

07-20-2012, 07:35 PM	#4
Jbounds Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Posts: 5	Re: Identify unknown flintlock side by side gun Thanks fr he help, the inside depth of one was 30 1/2" and the other was 31". I will add two other pictures, per your request.

07-20-2012, 07:49 PM	#5
Jbounds Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Posts: 5	Re: Identify unknown flintlock side by side gun hrf, I just added the pictures you mentioned. Attached Images

07-20-2012, 08:04 PM	#6
hrf Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 2,276	Re: Identify unknown flintlock side by side gun Thanks; the little crossed halberds marks are Birmingham proofs, so you have an average grade gun made by the Birmingham Trade gunmakers, which may or may not have been retailed in London.

07-20-2012, 08:18 PM	#8
Jim K Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 6,408	Re: Identify unknown flintlock side by side gun I am rather glad you had no caps, because firing a gun that might be loaded with an unknown powder and unknown projectile is never a good idea. In fact, I strongly recommend not firing that gun at all. The barrels are almost certainly Damascus, made by wrapping white-hot lengths of iron and steel around a rod (mandrel) and welding them together with a hammer. Strong enough to pass proof when they were made, those barrels could well be dangerous today even with black powder. 13 is probably the gauge; in the muzzle loading days, shotguns could be ordered in gauges not available in our standardized era, where shotgun gauges go from 10 to 12 to 16 to 20 to 28. The gunmaker provided the appropriate size powder and shot measures as well as wads. The gun was of moderate good quality when made, but not of high value. Double check to make sure there is no load in the barrels, then consider the gun a wall hanger. Jim

07-20-2012, 09:31 PM	#9
Hammerslagger Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 1,099	Re: Identify unknown flintlock side by side gun Excellent posts before this, In my opinion the gun is not safe to fire today.