Original British 12 Bore Double Barrel Percussion Shotgun by James Constable with Twist Forged Barrel - circa 1860
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Original Item: Only One Available. Here we have a typical British-made Double Barreled Percussion shotgun, almost certainly intended for the large U.S. import market. It is marked on both lock plates with JAMES CONSTABLE, a known London-based maker. There is some lovely floral engraving on the locks and other fittings, and the stock has some great carved designs, but we do not know if this was done during manufacture, or later.
The barrel strap still has a faint marking on the top of the barrel strap:
LONDON FINE TWIST
This means that the barrel was forged using twisted pieces of metal, which is actually not that out of the ordinary. Many gun barrels of the 19th century were made from nails, stubs, chains, and even horseshoes, as the wear and use of these items resulted in superior barrels when they were forged and twisted. The finish on the barrels is faded to a lovely polished patina, but the spiral lines are still readily apparent on the underside beneath the stock. The double barrel assembly is 30" in length, an the shotgun has an overall length of 45 ¾".
The bottoms of each barrel bear the correct Birmingham proof marks, including the CROWN / CROSSED SCEPTERS / BPC "proof" and CROWN / CROSSED SCEPTERS / V "viewed" marks. There is also the CROWN / BP definitive proof, and a 12 marking, indicating "12 bore" or about .729". There are additional CROWN / CROSSED SCEPTERS / V markings on both sides of the breech plug. These are the markings used from 1855 onwards for percussion shotguns, so we estimate it was produced about 1860.
This very nice DOUBLE BARREL 12 bore Percussion Shotgun presents very nicely, with a lovely patina of age. The plain walnut stock is lovely, and has a lovely red brown color to it, with no signs of refinishing. The carved in checkering around the wrist and fore stock is well retained, as are the other carved designs, though they are not quite symmetrical, so we assume they were done post manufacture. The shotgun's fittings are all of iron except for the nickel silver barrel wedge escutcheons. The metalwork shows lovely original engraving throughout, which can be a bit hard to see due to patination, but is very well executed. This definitely looks to have been a rather upmarket example.
Both locks are functional, however only the left side lock holds correctly at half cock, while the right side will fire at any position on the tumbler. The cap nipple cones are present, however both show a good amount of use, with powder burn and past oxidation present. Under the barrel is a lovely original brass tipped cleaning rod, which actually still has the remains of a clearing worm on the other end, so it's definitely an original example.
This is a great looking gun by a known London maker, and would look perfect mounted on the wall. Ready to display!
Specifications-
Year of Manufacture: c.1860
Caliber: 12 Bore / Gauge - about 0.729
Cartridge Type: Powder & Shot with Cap
Barrel Length: 30 Inches
Overall Length: 45 ¾ Inches
Action type: Side Action Locks
Feed System: Muzzle Loaded
NOTE: International orders of antique firearms MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services (courier). USPS Priority Mail international will not accept these. International customers should always consult their country's antique gun laws prior to ordering.
- This product is available for international shipping.
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IMA considers all of our antique guns as non-firing, inoperable and/or inert. Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 921(a)(16) defines antique firearms as all guns made prior to 1899. This law exempts antique firearms from any form of gun control or special engineering because they are not legally considered firearms. No FFL, C&R or any license is required to possess, transport, sell or trade Antique guns. All rifles and muskets sold by IMA that were manufactured prior to 1899 are considered Antiques by the US BATF (United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms). Therefore, all of IMA's Antique guns may be shipped to all US States and most nations around the world.
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Pre-1899 Manufacture, no licenses required, allowed to ship to almost any deliverable address across the globe. Please note that for international shipping, these MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services. International customers should always consult their country's antique gun laws prior to ordering.
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