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gyman98

gyman98

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I have a 12ga double barrel shot gun that I'd like some more info on as well as apprx. value. Its says ACME ARMS Co. on each side of the reciever and BELGIUM- PREMIUM DAMUCUS on the bridge between the two barrels on the top. The hammers both function as does the break open and triggers. The only damage to the wood is the two marks on the comb as pictured.


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SUNRAY is right, do not fire this shotgun

I may be wrong, but it looks like a shotgun made by Anciens Etablissment Pieper probably between 1895 and 1910. SUNRAY Is absolutely correct, therefore, do not, and I repeat, DO NOT fire a damascus-barreled gun. As for what it is worth, maybe $200 or less, I think..... If you wish to use it and/or fire it, you can have some safe barrels custom-made, but I do not think it is worth the thousand of dollars it would cost you to modify this shot gun.

Just out of curiosity, where did you get it and how much did you pay?

Sorry for the bad news.
Robert
 
I know i can't fire it due to the soft layered damucus. I got it from my grandfather and didn't pay anything for it. I'll be keeping it for sentimental purposes I just wanted some background into it and to know if I should insure it.
 
Is the spelling on the barrel exactly "PREMIUM DAMUCUS" ? If so it may not be a Damascus barrel. They used to use words like DAMASCUS FINISH TO GIVE THE IMPRESSION they were using the preferred at that time Damascus barrels. They would also purposely misspell words and names to give the buyer the idea he was getting a better gun. Don't just take the word of someone on the internet looking at a poor picture, take the gun to a gunsmith who knows old shotguns and have him check it out. This may be hard to do ,as there are very few left. Also when you open the gun and separate the fore end, barrels and receiver you will see a lot of proof marks on the receiver and barrel under where the chambers are, some of these can tell you when it was proofed and if it was proofed for smokeless powder. Do a search of "BELGIAN PROOF MARKS" to get an idea of what I am taking about. But even if it is not a Damascus barrel and is in good shape, it surely will have a short chamber which will have to be lengthened before you could shoot lighter loads. Have the chamber checked because a 2 3/4 in. regular shot shell will fit , but there is no place fore the crimp to expand to, thus increasing pressures and maybe adding to the Damascus barrels blow up stories. Good Luck.
 
I believe ACME made the shotguns for the Coyote. DO NOT FIRE it at Roadrunners as it will inevitably blow up in your face, leaving you blacked and sooty. :D
 
Belgium?

Acme Arms was a tradename used by the J. Stevens Arms Company around 1880. Does it have Belgian proof marks? A crown on top of a circle with ELG inside? It might be just the circle ELG as the crown was added in 1893. If not it was probably from barrel stock brought in from Belgium by Stevens. Most of the American makers purchased their damascus barrel stock from Belgium and to a lesser extent Britain, though they didn't usually put it on the top rib of the gun.
 
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bearman is absolutely right. when they came out with fluid steel barrels a lot of diehards thought that damascus was the premium product. (little did they know) and some manufacturers put a damascus finish on the outside of the barrels for marketing reasons. you could take the gun to a gunsmith and have him measure the I.D. of the bore and muzzle of both barrels and along with their length order briley insert tubes, full length, and change the gauge to 16,20,28,or .410 . so long as the gun is shootable i.e. tight wood to metal and the headspace is with it's proper limits, the gun can be used. the bad news is that the cost could be from $800.00 to $1000.00. maybe it's better to hang it up. good luck
 
Grouse Man said:
I believe ACME made the shotguns for the Coyote. DO NOT FIRE it at Roadrunners as it will inevitably blow up in your face, leaving you blacked and sooty. :D
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LOL! I was waiting for a roadrunner joke! You forgot about falling off the cliff after the blast and having a huge rock land on you just as you look up!:D
Classic
 
I doesn't actually look like a damacus barrel at all. I have another old shotgun that you can tell from ten feet that its a damacus. I really have no intention of shooting it I just wanted to know what I had. I can't check for proofmarks as im gone to work and not home until the weekend. As for asking if thats exactly what it says the answer is yes thats exactly how it looks.
 
If the "DAMASCUS" on the barrel is spelled wrong it " MAY " not be an actual Damascus barrel. As for proof marks goto https://store.bluebookinc.com/Info/PDF/Firearm/Proofmarks.pdf check out the Belgian Marks. As for the value it is only about $100 to $200 if that, it depends how much and why someone wants it. As for insurance, value it a little higher because if it is lost , stolen or burnt, you will want to replace and it always costs more to buy something, than you make selling something. My homeowners policy only wants pictures stored safely somewhere else to give idea of condition, in case of fire.
 
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it's probably not safe to shoot with black powder loads until it has been checked over and even then it can be difficult to tell. part of the problem with something that old , is that to the naked eye it's really hard to tell what the effects of black powder have been on the barrels. one of the components of black powder is sulphur. when you consider that in the good ole days there wasn't the cleaning solvents there is today , other than hot soapy water it's impossible to tell how well a gun was looked after or if the original owner even gave it a passing thought. sulphur residue is very corrosive. it's probably easiest to hang it
 
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