We have an expert in just about all things "drilling", which is what that triple barreled gun is called. BUT you are going to have to provide pictures of each side of the gun, top, bottom, left, and right along with pictures of every marking on the gun, before he can give you much information.

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Please describe the item in as much detail as possible. Detail does not mean "in good shape" ,describe how the wood is, how much blueing (% of original finish left) there is etc., and anything else you see that may be helpful. Tell us all marking, words, and letters anywhere on the gun...

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Yup, and separate the barrels from the stock. There are flat places that mate against each other (barrel flats and water table) that will have some important markings as well.

 

Strike my thoughts.

 

Thank You for your replies. I could not separate the barrel from the stock, altho I have done this on other shotguns.
I just did not want to force it.I can attach 18 pictures. As far as condition, It is old and rusty, but the Triggers still work, meaning they will cock and fire.How you would fire the third barrel is a mystery to me.I am trying to identify this shotgun.Any information appreciated. Thanks..............Larry B.

 

The nose of the left side hammer has a swivel, that is what lets it select the firing pin for the rifle or shotgun barrel. It might be too rusty or corroded to swivel anymore, but that is how it was designed to work. In your pictures it looks to be halfway swiveled and it isn't hitting the shotgun firing pin squarely. On the rear of the left hammer's ear is a retaining spring that would have locked it in position, I don't know if you push in or pull out on the spring to work the swivel.

 

Boy, that is an oldie. The other guys told you right. It is a drilling and comes from the German word "drei" for three. "Drei" is pronounced like "dry" but, drilling is pronounced as the English word. It is on a Lefaucheux action, developed by the Frenchman Casimir Lefaucheux in the 1830's. They were originally pin fire and as cartridges evolved into what we know today, the action also evolved from pinfire to center fire. I would call yours a "rail" drilling as the rifle barrel is in a top rail. There is several barrel configurations of drillings and you can look them up.

My Lefaucheux double rifle does not have a barrel attachment the same as yours. However, I think you tried to disassemble it incorrectly. Put it all back together with the action closed. Then open the action. When the barrels reach their limit of travel, then I believe is when you detach them from the forearm and they should lift off. That's the way mine works but the barrels are attached with a barrel key, similar to a Hawken type muzzleloader. I might be crazy too but I think that's how they work. There might not be much for proof marks as Germany did not have a proof law until 1891-93 and I'm confident your drilling pre-dates that. I think that drilling was made not long after Germany became the country we are familiar with in 1871.

J.U. Banzinger might be the maker but it is more likely he was just the retailer. The ST GALLEN has me bumfuzzled. There is thousands of towns in Germany I'm ignorant of and probably hundreds that ceased to exist after WWII. That's what happened to the town in East Prussia my family came from, it's gone. Anyway, I don't know if the ST stands for "strasse" for "street" or like the abbreviation St. Seems either is possible but that is beyond my German language knowledge.

The shotgun barrels are more than likely 16 bore. 16 ruled the roost in Germany until after WWII. They're also probably only 2 1/2 in. chambers. The rifle? I don't have a clue with the description, "looks about 45 caliber." Even if we had the caliber it's hardly possible to know the cartridge without a chamber cast and, given the age, maybe not possible WITH a chamber cast and, being in the rail, it can't possibly be a very powerful cartridge anyway. Besides, those were black powder days so it's unlikely to be much more than a small game cartridge.

Whatever the truth of the matter is, it's an interesting old piece. You just don't see many rail drillings.

 

You're welcome, campy.

 

Morning Sharps.
Thank you sooo much for the time and detail of your response. I have been praying for 15+ years what to do with my gun collection. I am 70 years old, and waiting for the trumpet's call! It is time for me to quit hanging on to the things I cannot take with me and concentrate on storing up treasures in heaven! Going through my collection, I have found a few things that have some value. This is one gun that I do not remember how much I paid for it, where I bought it , or how much it is worth .So, my next endeavor is to find out what a fair price to the seller & the buyer would be.I have a copy of Blue Book of Gun Values , 2500 pages but no mention of this relic. Thanks my friend . Hope to meet you in person someday...................CampMaster7

 

Welp, my end destination is also Heaven. So, since we'll have a long time to get around, meeting is a distinct possibility! I'm just a year behind you and obviously have a lot more behind me than in front of me so, I'm faced with a similar dilemma....but I ain't ready just yet and, I hope the good Lord is of the same opinion!!

You won't find any old foreign firearms in the Blue Book and they wouldn't know what they're talking about if they listed any, unless they hired someone familiar with them.

The value of yours is hurt by a few things. It isn't in the best of condition and, you didn't mention what shape the bores are in. The rifle cartridge, even if we knew what it is, is more than likely a custom forming and custom mold proposition. Then a fella would need to either have custom dies made or, figure out what common die could be used to at least slightly neck size the case. Who the maker is doesn't really matter at this point and, it will probably never be known. So, that kinda makes its value as a wall hanger. The good thing is, even though I'm calling it a wall hanger, (a bold comment considering I haven't personally examined your drilling), is that these firearms hold a better value than the traditional old double gun wall hanger. So...take my opinion as worth what you paid for it. I'd say around $750 to $1000.