# My Shotgun



## Darin (Jan 10, 2007)

Been in the family for years. Problem is that this shot gun has zero names on it. It does have the numbers 16.8 on the barrel under where it breaks apart. Tell me if you can figure this out for me.


----------



## Marky Mark (Jan 10, 2007)

There has to be some markings on it some where. Look to see if has some form of any stamp.
www.Doublegun.com


----------



## begleytree (Jan 10, 2007)

I want to know myself. I went page by page looking for it, but without a model name/number or manf, its tough!
-Ralph


----------



## musch (Jan 10, 2007)

That is a beautiful firearm.

I would guess it is 100 years old, at least.

There is an article in the NRA Rifleman magazine where they I.D. old guns.
I'll have a look and post the info. 

Very cool. opcorn:


----------



## Darin (Jan 10, 2007)

Seriously, there is no name, nothing on it. I've taken it apart and found nothing to tell the make, model or otherwise.


----------



## bytehoven (Jan 11, 2007)

Could it be a Sterling?

It's got a very fancy treatment to the trigger guard and the detail work is awesome.


----------



## TimberMcPherson (Jan 11, 2007)

Might be a standard gun of the time that someone has thrown some talent at, "debadged" it to help keep it special. Might have to be the internals that give away the original maker


----------



## belgian (Jan 11, 2007)

Darin said:


> Seriously, there is no name, nothing on it. I've taken it apart and found nothing to tell the make, model or otherwise.



It could be a handmade gun made by a well skilled gunsmith. We have several of those individual gunsmiths in belgium (nearly all got schooled at the Browning FN factory in Liege, Belgium), making custom built hunting rifles and shotguns with inidvidual carvings. Very nice pieces of art sometimes, but unfortunately not for everyone's budget.
But most of them do use a typical 'mark' to identify the builder.
roland


----------



## NYCHA FORESTER (Jan 11, 2007)

http://www.ambackforum.com/index.php

Darin, post the pictures and your comments here....... I'm sure someone should be able to point you in the right direction


----------



## vharrison2 (Jan 11, 2007)

Beautiful gun Darin.


----------



## Darin (Jan 11, 2007)

I seriously took apart everything I could on this gun to find a mark. There is nothing I could find. I do agree it might just be a handmade product and not a company made product.


----------



## younggun (Jan 12, 2007)

try talking to an appraiser. if the tooling is unique enough they may be able to tell you the manufacture from that alone


----------



## musch (Jan 16, 2007)

If you are an NRA member, you are entitled to receive information about vintage firearms that you may own. 
Questions must be in the form of a letter to

Dope Bag- NRA Publications
12150 Waples Mill Rd Fairfax VA 
22030-9400

You must send one question, and proof of membership. 

Good Luck, let us know what you find out!!


----------



## Darin (Jan 17, 2007)

I am not, but I think my brother in law is. I will see and if he is I will ask him to send it in.
Thanks for the info!!


----------



## hobby climber (Jan 17, 2007)

Daren,

Look very carefully for proof markings, (odd symbols very small), all around the barrel, usually the under part. There are books that could tell you more but you have to find a mark first.

As mentioned earlier, many shot guns of that era were made by small gun makers and many of them did not mark there guns, just the larger makers did.

Normaly, there will be a family name on the side plate or along the back of the reciever. What you have is likely a Belgian made gun built by some unsung craftsman. 

I owned a few like that years ago and one had a "twist steel barrel". You have to look very carefully at the entire barrel to be sure. I had one like yours and the other was a dumascus(sp) barrel. 

As far as value goes, it strictly depends on condition. Fit & finish is everything to determin value. Yours is worth more to you because of family history.

Its a nice piece and would have cost a good buck back in its day! HC


----------



## hobby climber (Jan 17, 2007)

Daren,

After looking at your pic a little closer, I believe your gun does have a twisted steel barrel! HC


----------



## olyman (Jan 25, 2007)

and if it has a twisted steel barrel DONT fire any modern loads in it--or you may blow the barrel up--they were meant for black powder--


----------



## WoodBurner44 (Jan 28, 2007)

*Twisted steel barrel.*

The twisted steel barrel is actually a 'Damascus' barrel. The Gunsmith twisted together and hammer-welded strands of steel to make the barrel. Olyman is correct about the danger of using modern smokeless powder in that gun. They were made in the era of black powder and the steel is not strong enough. Also, because of the age of the barrel there could be some corrosion between the strands of steel that were twist-welded together, weakening the steel even more. The best bet is to never fire the shotgun with any kind of powder, thus preserving ones face, eyes, life, etc., and preserving an heirloom of Gunsmith art.
A Damascus barreled French made 28 ga. double brought $25,000 in a private sale here a few years back.
Don't shoot it. Get it appraised. Get it insured.
Good luck.


----------

