This antique English halfstock fowling gun likely dated from the 1850 to 1860's era. The walnut stock has been refinished and the checkering cut to a broad flat top style. The 13 gauge octagon-to-round barrel has a shootable bore. The back action lock is crisp and is nicely hand engraved with scrolls. Trigger reach is 14-1/2" and this handy fowler weighs only 5.5 pounds.
The barrel is marked North Winton on a inset panel on the top flat of the breech. The barrel has a engraved shooting star that extends out from the breech. The barrel has a silvery gray patina with the Damascus pattern faintly visible. A small bead sight is fitted behind the muzzle. The 13 gauge bore measures .715" diameter. The bore is shootable with a frosted appearance. We suggest using our 13 gauge wads and cards with this fowler. Use only lead, or bismuth shot. Never shoot steel shot in an antique.
This antique gun has attractive lines with a classic English buttstock design, that is still used on shotguns today. The buttstock ends in a wide, flat, comfortable iron buttplate. The buttplate has a small amount of engraving on the widow's peak. The buttplate stands proud of the stock from the heel to to the toe, due to sanding and refinishing. The wrist is checkered with with broad flat top checkering. The hooked breech has a long tang that extends down the wrist. The tang is neatly hand engraved. The tang bolts display some wear on the slots with bright edges, and the lower screw is not indexed. The bottom view shows the rounded toe and wide flat buttplate at the butt end. No toeplate is used on fowling guns. This shotgun has a very short triggerguard grip rail, which does display some wear from handling. The triggerplate with a stylized pineapple finial. The forearm is checkered and the single wedge key passes though nickel silver escutcheon plates. The hooked breech allows the barrel to be dismounted for cleaning. To dismount the barrel put the lock at half cock. Remove the ramrod. Drift the wedge key past the underlug using a small brass drift, such as our #TOOL-KEY-B, and the barrel can be lifted from the stock for cleaning. The key on this shotgun is captured to the stock. The key is short and does not come fully to the opposite escutcheon plate. The ramrod entry pipe is a classic English design. A pewter forend cap protects the end grain of the stock. A single lock bolt is fitted to retain the back action lock. The lock bolt has been mounted through a hex nut that has been inlet into the stock This should really be replaced with a more approprate tear drop sideplate, or even a round washer.
The percussion back action lock is very neatly hand engraved with scrolls on the plate and hammer. The lock is crisp with a secure half cock and full cock notch. The trigger is very well tuned with excellent leverage and no creep before it breaks. The breech plug is very neatly shaped with a sculpted bolster and high flash fence to protect the wood at the breech from repeated cap flash. The breech has a platinum blow out plug. You see this feature on many English percussion sporting guns, with the idea of this design that if the pressure was so high enough it would rupture the plug without damaging the barrel.
A serviceable antique single barrel fowling gun that has been refinished. 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.
