Help identifying shotgun

Spruce Grouse

Spruce Grouse

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The pictures below are of my grandfather's (or perhaps his father's) shotgun. Can anybody tell me about it? When I had it regestered the registry's specialists couldn't id it from these pictures, but perhaps someone here can!

Thanks

Spruce Grouse

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I like it.

It's very hard to make out, but those may be Birmingham black powder proof marks. Can you make out letters in the cruxes of the crossed swords? The diamond with 12 inside is the gauge. Not finding anything on J. Hodkinson.

You should swing by doublegunshop.com with these pics and see if those boys can help.

Do keep us posted.
 
Thanks Looch:

(I'm Spruce Grouse's husband)

Whatever is in the cruxes of the swords is too unclear.

Which marks might imply Birmingham? And what does 'Birmingham' mean - is that a person, a shop, or the town?

We'll contact doublegunshop.com - thanks for the lead.

RG & SG
 
Im not 100 percent sure, but it looks identical to a London shotgun my grandfather once owned.
I hunted with it for a few years when I was teenager in the woods, kicked like a mule but I loved that gun, the rabbits hated it.:runaway:
 
That is a very pretty old gun.

The "choke" marking was used from 1875-1955.

The 12 over C in a diamond denotes a 12 gauge chamber, that mark was used 1887-1955.

The "crossed scepters" were used 1813-1904.

So based on those marks alone we know it was made between 1887 & 1904

I think it is a very late hammer gun, the "modern" stock dimensions, and the triple locking mechanisms suggest that to me.

I especially like the "sideclips" which extend from the edges of the receiver over the sides of the barrels, and the very pretty borderless checkering.

I suspect that the "J. HODKINSON" was stamped in a vacant banner on the rib of this unmarked import gun, and that it is in fact the name of the local retailer who distributed it.

I would describe it as a low-mid grade Birmingham gun, which was mass produced strictly for export to North America. Not particularly valuable other than the family history.

I have a few questions about it if you have the time to get back to me.

It appears to have quite long barrels. How long are they?

What mechanism holds the forend on?

What is the butt plate made of?

Are the barrels Damascus or fluid steel?

Mark
 
Mark,

The barrels are 30". The forend is held on and detatched by operating a little spring-loaded lever. The tops and bottoms of the butplates seem to be some kind of metal while the majority of the but is covered in thin ridged rubber. I don't know how to tell the different kinds of barrel construction from one another. Please tell me how.

RG

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RG

Damascus barrels are "compsite" composed of welded wire and present as a repeating pattern on all surfaces, the problem is, as finish wears the pattern becomes les discernable.

Where in Ontario are you? reply by PM if you are more comfortable with that.

Mark
 
Hi Mark,

We're in Guelph.

While on very close inspection the finish seems to have a bit of a vermiculated pattern to it, it doesn't seem to me that it is made from wrapped wire in any way.

RG

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