{"product_id":"original-german-double-barrel-15-bore-under-lever-pinfire-shotgun-by-f-weisgerber-of-st-wendel-made-with-belgian-parts-circa-1865","title":"Original German Double Barrel 15 Bore Under Lever Pinfire Shotgun by F. Weisgerber of St. Wendel Made with Belgian Parts - Circa 1865","description":"\u003cp\u003eOriginal Item: Only One Available. Here we have a lovely mid 19th Century German Pinfire Shotgun, made using components fabricated in Liège, Belgium, an area highly involved in the production and development of pinfire firearms. The shotgun features an \"under lever\" system to break open the breech, which swings out to the right, unlocking the breech and allowing the barrel assembly to tip up for reloading. The barrel is held in place by a wedge, which can be relatively easily removed to possibly put the shotgun into a case.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Pinfire system was the earliest form of \"Cartridge\" developed with a pin projecting out at 90 degrees to the cartridge case. When depressed by the falling hammer the cartridge discharged. At the time up against muzzle loading Revolvers these were revolutionary. Like most things by the end of the Civil War technology had moved on and in the late 1860's regular type cartridges as we know them today had been introduced.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe shotgun is lovely, with some great engraving on the back action locks and the receiver \/ table, and looks to have \"Damascus\" barrels. The top of the barrel rib has the maker \/ retailer name inlaid in silver, which is still bright:-\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eF. WEISGERBER IN ST - WENDEL\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eF. Weisgerber was based in Sankt Wendel, a small city in the Saarland region of Germany, and is a known maker and retailer from this period. He appears to have been succeeded by W. Weisgerber later. We assume that the action and barrel were made to order in Liège, Belgium, and then transported to St. Wendel, which relatively speaking are not that far apart in distance. The stock, and fittings are definitely German \/ Austrian style, so it is very likely that they were carved for the gun in Germany, after the parts were received. Definitely a very interesting pinfire shotgun!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRemoving the forestock allows the barrels to be removed from the receiver. This reveals the\u003cstrong\u003e E \/ L G \/ * in an oval \u003c\/strong\u003eon the end of the left barrel, indicating manufacture and inspection in Liège, Belgium before 1891. There is also a small \u003cstrong\u003eCROWN \/ V\u003c\/strong\u003e proof, as well as the \u003cstrong\u003e\"Perron\"\u003c\/strong\u003e or \u003cstrong\u003eTower of Liège\u003c\/strong\u003e proof. These may give information on the inspector, as well as possibly indicate who originally made the barrel, as components could have been contracted out to multiple firms. The right barrel is marked with \u003cstrong\u003e17.2\u003c\/strong\u003e, the bore measurement in millimeters, which corresponds to 15 bore \/ gauge, while the bottom of the barrel rib is marked with \u003cstrong\u003e4437\u003c\/strong\u003e. The \"watertable\" of the shotgun breech area is also marked with the \u003cstrong\u003e\"Perron\"\u003c\/strong\u003e or \u003cstrong\u003eTower of Liège \u003c\/strong\u003eon the right side, and is also marked with inspector proof \u003cstrong\u003eCROWN \/ V\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Damascus barrels are 30 3\/4\" in length and the gun measures 46 1\/2\" in overall length. We do not see any signs of refinishing on the metalwork, which displays a lovely aged patina now, with the forging pattern on the Damascus barrels still easily visible. We checked the lock action, and both sides are fully functional, holding correctly at half cock and firing at full. The stock is checkered at the wrist, and is quite lovely, showing wear from use but no major damage. It has a lovely cheek piece on the let side, and a fantastic carved horn \"pistol grip\" style finial for the trigger guard, which shows a high level of artistry.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA lovely example with lots of research and display potential!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpecifications-\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eYear of Manufacture:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e circa 1865\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCaliber: 17.2mm - 15 bore\/gauge.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCartridge Type: Pinfire Cartridge\u003cbr\u003eBarrel Length: 30 3\/4 Inches\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOverall Length: 46 1\/2 Inches\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAction type: Back Action Locks\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFeed System: Top Break\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHistory of the Pinfire Cartridge:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Swiss gun maker Samuel Joannes Pauly patented the first breech-loading cartridge in 1812. This was for use in a shotgun with fixed barrels which was loaded by lifting a breech block on the top. French gun maker Henri Roux attempted to improve this cartridge in the 1820s but a constantly primed cartridge was felt by many to be too dangerous and many breech-loading guns reverted to using an unprimed cartridge. This was fired by a separate percussion cap which was used on the still dominant muzzle-loading guns.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCasimir Lefaucheux of Paris decided in 1832 to patent a breechloader where the barrel hinged downwards to reveal the breech ends. These still used a separate percussion cap. Though used before this, (as seen in surviving pinfire shotshells that lists the names of early gun makers he signed contracts with in 1833 and 1834,) in 1835 he was granted an addition to the 1832 patent for a new type of cartridge in which the cartridge's priming compound is ignited by striking a small pin which protrudes radially from just above the base of the cartridge. These pins fitted into a small groove cut in the top of each barrel-end and made it easy to see if the gun was loaded. The cartridge used metal bases (often brass) with paper tubes which were usually loaded by the shooter or his staff but were not entirely gas-tight. This reduced the force of the charge and allowed powder residue and gas to escape.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe pinfire cartridge was greatly improved by the 1846 patent (number 1963) by Benjamin Houllier of Paris which introduced a base wad and effectively made the cartridge gas-tight which greatly improved the performance, and were cheap and clean shooting. These improved pinfire guns grew in popularity in France and some were imported by British gun makers to overwhelming indifference on the part of the gun users there. They were prejudiced technically against a gun that 'broke' in the middle, despite the much vaunted benefits of breechloading.[citation needed] They owned muzzle-loaders of exquisite perfection, considered themselves the best engineers in the world (inventing the Industrial Revolution), and had a poor view of the French - the old enemy and an unreliable ally.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt wasn't until the Great Exhibition of 1851 was held in London that breech-loading guns were taken more seriously by British and American gun makers in particular. The display of a Lefaucheux breech-loading gun inspired English apprentice gunmaker Edwin Charles Hodges (1831-1925) to make an improved copy and persuade leading London gun maker Joseph Lang that this was the gun of the future. Lang was universally credited to be the first established British gunmaker to produce pinfires in any numbers. His first weapon of this new type was produced in 1853. Other British gun makers including Lancaster, Blanch and Reilly were similarly inspired by French originals and improved pinfire breechloaders became the new type of gun which by 1857\/8 every fashionable British prince and titled gentleman wanted to have. EC Hodges continued to make a good living as a specialist independent maker of breech-loading actions commissioned by leading gunmakers such as Boss, Lancaster, Egg, Grant, Atkin, Rigby, Dickson, Purdey, Woodward, Army and Navy, and many others.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter Casimir's death in 1852, his son Eugene continued to market the pinfire design with great success. It became increasingly popular in Europe and large numbers of shotguns and revolvers (often called Lefaucheux guns after their inventor whoever the maker was), were manufactured from the mid-1850s until the 1890s. They were quicker and easier to load than percussion weapons with loose black powder, percussion caps and bullet; and they were also much more likely to fire reliably when wet. Pinfire cartridges were available in a large number of sizes for various types of weapon.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile pinfire shotguns declined from the early 1860s after the introduction of mass-produced centerfire shotgun cartridges, pinfire revolvers in particular became very successful and widespread, being adopted by the armies of France, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden and others.[citation needed] They were also used during the American Civil War, although sometimes despised because of their low power compared to Colt and other percussion revolvers. Some navies also adopted them, \"sea service\" examples often being made out of brass which is largely unaffected by the corrosion caused by salt.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePinfire became obsolete once reliable rimfire and centerfire cartridges became available because without a pin which needed aligning in the slot in the chamber wall they were quicker to load. They were also safer because they had no protruding pin which could cause the ammunition to accidentally detonate during rough handling, particularly of loose ammunition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNOTE: 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.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Original Items","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45242773995589,"sku":"ONJR26MYMF028","price":995.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1524\/1342\/files\/6AA93114-07FE-4BA4-8BE6-F669C0CCB7B5.jpg?v=1782939997","url":"https:\/\/www.ima-usa.com\/products\/original-german-double-barrel-15-bore-under-lever-pinfire-shotgun-by-f-weisgerber-of-st-wendel-made-with-belgian-parts-circa-1865","provider":"International Military Antiques","version":"1.0","type":"link"}