This European flint double shotgun is stocked in walnut and trimmed in iron furniture. The bright finished flintlocks have aged to a speckled patina. The Damascus barrels are fitted with hooked breeches and are mounted with a single captured wedge key. The barrels have English proof marks while the shotgun has a number of French influences on the design. Trigger reach is 14-1/2" and 14", which is quite long for a antique. This shotgun also has a considerable amount of drop. Weight is 6.6 pounds. This shotgun has had some repairs and refinishing over the years.
The barrels are 33-1/2" long including the hooked breech. The 20 gauge bores are .615" diameter. The bores are fair with some scattered darker pitting. The Damascus barrels have a mottled gray brown pattern over the length of the barrels. The upper rib is engraved Burgon Opposite the Monument London. The hooked breech allows the barrels to be easily dismounted without tools, for easy cleaning. This shotgun does not have inset breeches which makes the lock panels very wide. The bottom of the barrels are marked with English view and proof marks and the stamp STUBS. The front sight is mounted well behind the muzzle in French fashion.
Trimmed in iron furniture, the dense walnut stock has fairly straight grain. The wrist has flat top checkering with a few dings and dents from use and handling. The traditional wide flat buttplate reduces recoil and makes the gun comfortable with full loads. The iron buttplate is shaped with a long stepped comb. The walnut stock has darkened around the buttplate from contact. The tang of hooked breech is neatly engraved and shaped with a groove to allow sighting along the upper rib. The single wedge key is captured to prevent loss. The key passes through the stock and has silver escutcheon plates on either side. To dismount the barrel make sure the frizzens are closed. Drift the key past the underlug and the barrel can be lifted from the stock. The ramrod has a flared tip but the other end is blank. The ramrod pipes are shaped with raised rings on both ends. The middle ramrod pipe has unfilled holes on both sides, and likely had a swivel mounted previously. The bottom view shows the rounded toe with a few small chips, wide flat buttplate, iron triggerguard with pineapple finial. The triggerguard has raised ridges along the edges of the bow. The engraving on the triggerguard has a worn appearance. The ramrod entry pipe has a large tear drop shaped entry pipe finial.
These late flintlocks have very advanced features. The “full waterproof pan" is made with rain gutters cut to drain any water away from the pan. The cock's jaws have been tipped down to throw sparks directly into the pan. The frizzen has a roller bearing on the end of the toe that rides over a large cam on the end of the frizzen spring. The locks have been altered internally the left hand lock sit back much farther on the half and full cock positions. The left hand lock has a replacement tumbler screw and the lock has a small amount of play in the mortise. The stock has a small cosmetic repair at the front edge of the lock panel where a piece of the stock has been glued back in place. The trigger design is a very French style with a short front trigger, and a longer curled rear trigger.
A antique flintlock double barrel shotgun. This shotgun has had some repairs to the stock and the locks. The bores appears shootable. We always recommend firing antique remotely with your maximum load to prove it safe to shoot. Order it for a ten day visual inspection. You will be delighted. Else if it does not fit you, return it in unfired condition for same-day refund. Postage is your only risk, when you order any one-of-a-kind gun from Track, whether new, used, or antique.
