Help identifying antique Moore shotgun

[Northmen]

Last fall I purchased an old percussion shotgun at a little antique store. It was rusty and the wood was covered in decades of dirt, oil and dust. After cleaning it for hours it started to reveal its beauty. The only writing on it says"Moore". Any help with any more details like age or model would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

 

[9.3mauser]

The style of the gun is English. There were several gunmakers trading under the name of Moore in the timeframe that this gun would have been built. Normally there is a full name and address engraved on the barrel. Are you sure there's nothing there?

Probably built 1840's- '60's.

 

[wr.sainsbury]

My reference book shows six Moore gunmakers and only two of them would be in the timeframe of your piece which I would put about 1850 or so. Possible is G.Moore who had a shop in London in 1840's making cased double sporting guns and other items.

 

[Northmen]

There are no markings on the top of the barrel, they might be underneath. I have some concerns that something breaks if I attempt to take it apart. Narrowing it down to two English manufacturers is good start, thanks!

 

[NorthCoastBigBore]

There are no markings on the top of the barrel, they might be underneath. I have some concerns that something breaks if I attempt to take it apart. Narrowing it down to two English manufacturers is good start, thanks!

Looks like it may be a hook breech, so gently tap out the forend key, remove ramrod, the barrel should lift out. If it isn't a hook breach, there may be just a single screw through the upper tang to remove (use a properly sized screw driver - hollow grind one to fit - should come out clean).

 

[tiriaq]

When you tap out the forend key, don't drive it all the way out - it is probably captive.
Try holding the barrel tight to the stock, and pushing on the end of the key with something non marring. It just might move. Usually these do not require force.
Half #### the lock, remove the rod, and tip the barrel out. Might need a gentle bump.

 

[Northmen]

Thanks, it was way easier than I expected!
There's a 14 and some stamps on it

 

[Northmen]

 

[Northmen]

The far right is a proof mark from Birmingham dated after 1868.

"The Proof House was established in 1813 by an act of Parliament at the request—and expense—of the then prosperous Birmingham Gun Trade. Its remit was to provide a testing and certification service for firearms in order to prove their quality of construction, particularly in terms of the resistance of barrels to explosion under firing conditions. Such testing prior to sale or transfer of firearms is made mandatory by the Gun Barrel Proof Act of 1868, which made it an offence to sell, offer for sale, transfer, export or pawn an unproofed firearm, with certain exceptions for military organisations."

So after every time it was sold it got a new stamp. So the 14 would be the year of manufacture?

 

[tacfoley]

14 is the nominal gauge of the bore - approximately .69cal.

Proofing was a requirement, and still is, BEFORE offering the gun for sale. Unless there is some doubt as to the state of the gun, it is valid thereafter. However, here in UK, if you wanted to be sure that the gun is safe to shoot, you would usually have it reproofed at your own expense - about £40 - 60. If it blows up - that is to say, fails proof, or is considered at the primary viewing not to be capable of withstanding proof, then you get it back, but not your fee.

All guns made outside the CIP nations have to be proofed before they can be offered for sale within the fourteen CIP signature nations. The USA is not one of them, so every firearm imported from the USA into any of the CIP nations has to be proofed before it can be sold.

Similarly, all ex-military firearms, like Lee-Enfields, Springfield '03s and so on, must undergo civilian proof prior to sale.

 

[Northmen]

Yeah makes sense, would be to early for percussion

 

[Pinfire]

These are Birmingham proof marks, so your gun is not a Belgian copy of a Moore gun (there were many). The mark to the left of the "14" is the view mark, and the mark to the right is the Birmingham Company Proof mark for black powder. These marks were in use from 1813 to 1904. The "14" is the bore size.

In researching a gun made by William Moore, I can say yours is not one of his - his guns carry a variety of markings, but none are just "Moore" (namely 'William Moore', 'W. Moore', 'Wm. Moore', W.M. & Co.', 'William Moore & Co.', Wm. Moore & Wm. Grey', and so on).

Considering your gun is likely to have been made in the 1840s or 1850s, a possibility is that it was made by John Moore of Wallingford, Berkshire, who was in business in 1846-1848 (and again in 1868, but unlikely to have continued making muzzle-loaders then). I can't find any other "Moore" from that period whose name would be on a finished gun.

While it is odd there is no name and/or address on the barrel, it is not unheard of. Anything is possible in 19th century British gunmaking. While it is possible that Moore made the gun from Birmingham sourced parts, it is also possible that he bought the gun partly or wholly finished from a Birmingham maker, and added his name to the lock for final sale. The name on a gun from that period is always the final retailer, usually the final finisher, and only sometimes the actual maker.

Enjoy owning a nice piece of history.

Edit: I found another John Moore, gunmaker at Middle Street, Ripon, Yorkshire from 1840-1857.

 

[Ashcroft]

Entirely possible that this gun has been "cleaned" at some time in the last 160+ years ( maybe several times) and the name and address on the barrel obliterated by vigorous rust removal and polishing, a fairly common and unfortunate occurance.

 

[Northmen]

Thank you very much for the help and information. Knowing some of its history makes it more special. It will be a nice piece of history for me now