Original Smootbore Combination Gun

[gonzomann]

I recently acquired superposed double barrel combination gun that I know very little about, but am thrilled with the find none the less! The barrels are approximately .72 caliber or 12 gauge. It has been restored at some point I believe, but not butchered.

The top barrel is octagon, the bottom is round and they are of Damascus steel. The top barrel is equipped with express sights, and probably intended for round ball. There are several proof marks on the barrels, one of which I have identified as Belgian. The stock is cast off for a left handed person (which I happen to be) I am interested in any information or thoughts anyone may have to give me, such as country of origin, where I can find info on similar guns etc. Below is a photo of the gun and a link to a photobucket album with more pics.

More images:[url] http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o177/gonzomann_2007/superposed 12ga/[/url]

Thanks for looking.
Curtis aka SquirrelHeart

 

[CoyoteJoe]

Very nice! Quite a unique piece and looks to be in excelent shape. What does it weigh?
Here are a couple of pics of my own home built combo .45 rifle and 32 gage smoothbore. Thirty-two gage may sound pretty small but it paterns 3/4 ounce of sixes really well, better than a modern .410 I'd say.[url] http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e245/coyotejoe/foragegunleft.jpg http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e245/coyotejoe/foragegunfull-2.jpg[/url]
I chose to extend the left hammer to reach the lower barrel rather than to have a long flash channel from nipple to powder chamber, which often causes misfires in over/under guns. It weighs a bit over seven pounds with 30" barrels.

 

[gonzomann]

Thanks, it is unique to me at least because I have yet to see another on like it. I'm not sure what the weight of the gun is, haven't weighed her yet but she is pretty light, comes up to point very quickly.

Nice gun you have there yourself! Have you done any hunting with it yet? The barrels on the piece I have are just barely short of 30 inches also. What kind of barrels did you use?

SquirrelHeart

 

[roundball]

That is TOO COOL !!

 

[hawkeye1755]

Wow, that are two cool looking guns.
:thumbsup:

 

[Keppy]

What else can be said? Except more info about it. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

[CoyoteJoe]

Thanks SquirrelHeart, my gun is written up in full in the current Backwoodsman Magazine. The smoothbore is of Spanish make which I got from DGW many years ago for about ten bucks if I recall correctly. When I started this project there was a real shortage of rifle barrels. I had wanted a smaller bore, .36 or .40 caliber but all I could find was a .45 from a custom barrel maker whose name I don't recall. Understand I started on this around '91 or '92 and only pronounced it "done" this past spring. I envisioned it as a "foraging gun", what a backwoodsman of the 1850's might carry, primarily for small game but also adequate for deer at short range. It handles really fine and I placed in a rendezvous shoot with the .45 rifle barrel. I haven't had it togather long enough to do any hunting as yet but will sure try it on bunnies this winter.

 

[mckutzy]

whats the weight like?

 

[gonzomann]

CoyoteJoe,

I just got my very first issue of Backwoods magazine delivered a couple of days ago, haven't had the chance to read it all. After seeing your post I made it a point to read your article, very nice job! Whatever you do, don't wait another dozen years before you finish the next double gun, I can't wait that long to see what you come up with!

 

[gonzomann]

I haven't weighed it yet, but it is comparable in weight to another gun I have that weighs about 8 pounds. The balance is excellent.

 

[gonzomann]

Thanks, Roundball! I have been following some of your posts on this forum and others and will probably make use of some of the loading data you have come up with.

SquirrelHeart