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Well it is project time for those of us with the luxury of time to do so. While visiting family in Quebec this spring saw this old hammer shotgun. It has a special significance to me as I handled it for the first time when I was about ten. It was leaning up against a wall in the farmhouse kitchen of some friends. The dent was already in the barrel and the word was never to put a shell in that side. This gun was originally purchased new in 1910 and has worked its way down to my cousin. It has most likely accounted for many 'varmints' in her long journey to this point. It is not a valuable shotgun or collectable but it is an heirloom. As you can see by the photos there were a few problems in the stock. The trigger assemblies are still crisp. The spring on the right hand barrel firing pin is quite a bit weaker than the left speaking to its use while the left barrel has had a minimum of 50 some years off.
The stock has 6 pins holding that jigsaw puzzle together. It was a difficult fit as the various pieces did not fit together cleanly. Should have done a bit more research on colouring the epoxy, not sure how I will cover up those rather obvious glue lines. I am going to put in one more pin on the front where the stock meets the receiver and it will then be bedded with the same epoxy. That epoxy was used when doing base patching on ski bottoms, should fit the bill. For pins used unclad braising rod, put in a drill, ran the drill at slow speed while grinding the rod down in size with a bench grinder. The result was a pin with striations and whatever thickness required.
The dent: Used doweling cut diagonally and inserted at both ends of the barrel. Tapped the dowels past each other and then peened the barrels with brass hammer. This went well, poor man's dent remover. One end of the dowel on the floor and tapping the other end with discretion. Make sure you leave enough dowel protruding at each end to pull them out when done. Bit of a tense moment there. There is a small crease left in the barrel but it shall remain.
Cleaned the original finish off the stock and you can probably see there are some sort of regular tool marks on both sides of the stock. They were beneath the original finish so perhaps part of the original stock work? Also the butt plate is proud all around, it looks like by design? I ended up getting out the sand paper and working those brindle sort of machine marks out. Best guess is maple stock and will finish with multiple Tru-Oil coats. Almost there.
The proof marks may help you guys identify this shotgun's maker. There is nothing anywhere indicating manufacturer. This is not a high end gun but a very durable one considering her life to this point. Any ideas?
She is ever so slight off face and that will be remedied soon. The barrels have some pitting but still pretty good shape.
Some of the photos would not come up. Will retry and add to thread.
I have a few more hours work and then she will be bundled up and sent back to the farm to do another 100 or so years I hope.
Well it is project time for those of us with the luxury of time to do so. While visiting family in Quebec this spring saw this old hammer shotgun. It has a special significance to me as I handled it for the first time when I was about ten. It was leaning up against a wall in the farmhouse kitchen of some friends. The dent was already in the barrel and the word was never to put a shell in that side. This gun was originally purchased new in 1910 and has worked its way down to my cousin. It has most likely accounted for many 'varmints' in her long journey to this point. It is not a valuable shotgun or collectable but it is an heirloom. As you can see by the photos there were a few problems in the stock. The trigger assemblies are still crisp. The spring on the right hand barrel firing pin is quite a bit weaker than the left speaking to its use while the left barrel has had a minimum of 50 some years off.
The stock has 6 pins holding that jigsaw puzzle together. It was a difficult fit as the various pieces did not fit together cleanly. Should have done a bit more research on colouring the epoxy, not sure how I will cover up those rather obvious glue lines. I am going to put in one more pin on the front where the stock meets the receiver and it will then be bedded with the same epoxy. That epoxy was used when doing base patching on ski bottoms, should fit the bill. For pins used unclad braising rod, put in a drill, ran the drill at slow speed while grinding the rod down in size with a bench grinder. The result was a pin with striations and whatever thickness required.
The dent: Used doweling cut diagonally and inserted at both ends of the barrel. Tapped the dowels past each other and then peened the barrels with brass hammer. This went well, poor man's dent remover. One end of the dowel on the floor and tapping the other end with discretion. Make sure you leave enough dowel protruding at each end to pull them out when done. Bit of a tense moment there. There is a small crease left in the barrel but it shall remain.
Cleaned the original finish off the stock and you can probably see there are some sort of regular tool marks on both sides of the stock. They were beneath the original finish so perhaps part of the original stock work? Also the butt plate is proud all around, it looks like by design? I ended up getting out the sand paper and working those brindle sort of machine marks out. Best guess is maple stock and will finish with multiple Tru-Oil coats. Almost there.
The proof marks may help you guys identify this shotgun's maker. There is nothing anywhere indicating manufacturer. This is not a high end gun but a very durable one considering her life to this point. Any ideas?
She is ever so slight off face and that will be remedied soon. The barrels have some pitting but still pretty good shape.
Some of the photos would not come up. Will retry and add to thread.
I have a few more hours work and then she will be bundled up and sent back to the farm to do another 100 or so years I hope.
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