Overunder Muzzel loader Shotgun & Rifle

[Bart212]

Hello,

I have an old Muzzle loader I believe is from around 1860 or after or am I wrong. I would like a little info about this piece as I know nothing about Antique Firearms. I acquired this Rifle when My Grandfather passed in 2003 and it's been in the family since the first member in my family came to Canada (so I'm told).

Here's some pics.

Maker Stamp

Barrel Diferences. One is Damascas and the other is Iron

Pic of Muzzle.

So What is this ones story.

Thanks

 

[tiriaq]

Nice gun. Combinations of this sort were popular in the mid 19th century, your estimate of 1860 is likely pretty close. Buffalo would be Buffalo, New York. Should be possible to find out more information about the maker.

 

[mooncoon]

Robson James O. was active from 1850 to 1874 and made percussion rifles. Partner appears to have been John H Rector and located at 109 Main Street as Rector & Robson 1850 - 53 then to 111 Main Street as J.O. Robson 1854 - 62 then to 139 Main Street as J.O Robson & Co. 1863 - 64 Robson was active at 165 Main Street in 1874.

cheers mooncoon

 

[Bart212]

Thanks Tiriaq and Mooncoon,
I tried to do a Google search but it came up with no results.
MoonCoon I tried a search for all of the Robson Companys that you wrote about. Is there anyway I can find out about this Rifle as it has a Rifled barrel and the date is 1860, seems a little early for a rifled barrel on a hunting rifle the same time as the American Civil War. Weren't rifled barrels invented about half way through the Civil War by the Americans and the French also had some aswell. What is the time frame for the peoduction of Rifled firearms.

thanks again for the help

 

[tiriaq]

Rifled barrels have been around for a looooong time, 1500? on. Might not be marked, but there is every possibility that the barrel was made by Remington. They made so-called cast steel barrel, were in Ilion, NY, and supplied the trade. Robson would not likely have made either the rifle or shotgun barrel; he may have rifled the barrel. The mountings are German silver, the folding lollipop sight is a nice touch. The smoothbore barrel could have been used with shot, or buckshot or ball for deer hunting.

 

[Bart212]

So anyone else got any ideas about the Robson manufacturer (is it the current day Robson Arms?). What would be the price of a piece like this?

 

[mooncoon]

I think your perception of the date of rifling to @ US civil war is probably more a reflection of when the use of rifled arms became common by the military forces of various countries.
I very much doubt that Robson still exists as a company. Double barrel and combination guns seem to have been common in New York around that time; I owned one similar to that as a double rifle and currently have a double mule ear shotgun/rifle. It might only be that New York crops up because the guns were marketed from there
As to value; they are worth what someone else will pay for them. You are fortunate in having the lolipop rear sight since those often seem to go missing. I think I sold or traded my gun for somewhere in the $700 range but can't remember. I suspect the asking price in a gun show for yours would be $1000 - $1400 but the real question is what would it sell for.

cheers mooncoon