Unidentifiable 1920’s something...maybe!?

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  • Dippah

    Member
    Feb 23, 2013
    91
    I was recently gifted a firearm that I cannot identify at all. The features are all over the place from a 3/4” smooth barrel mouth to a swivel release trigger-guard, break action and no distinctive markings, aside from rust to show its age! Not sure if it’s worth anything but I’d really like to restore it and learn about the history behind it. I don’t want to work on it until I know whether it’s best kept in this condition or restored and how to go about it. I appreciate any knowledge and advice.
    Also, I don’t see anywhere a flint lock could work...very strange gun! Looks like a lot of things but this one is different
    Thanks!
     

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    mvee

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 13, 2007
    2,487
    Crofton
    It looks to be a pinfire shotgun which I believe is much older than the 1920’s.
     

    Dippah

    Member
    Feb 23, 2013
    91
    You’ve gotta forgive me, I’m clueless on this one. There is a small whole where the hammer drops which leads me to believe it’s a flint lock.

    Still should I take it upon myself to restore it or have it professionally done. Not sure if it’s something more important than a hand me down, lol
     

    mvee

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 13, 2007
    2,487
    Crofton
    I don’t know very much about them. There are a few pinfire shotguns for sale by simpson Ltd. for $60-200. Maybe the one you have is rare or something. Hopefully someone who knows more about these will chime in.
     

    Biggfoot44

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 2, 2009
    32,907
    It's a lot older than you think. Some quick very rough background ;

    Pinfie was invented by Camir Lefaucheur of France in 1835 , and the concept was significantly improved by 1846 . Also used in revolvers.

    Cought on quickly in France , more slowly in Britain and America . Joseph Lang began making high end pinfire shotguns circa 1853 . But large portions of the British and US shooting public stuck with tried & true percussion until centerfire ( shotgun) and rimfire ( rifle and revolvers ) were perfected not long afterwards .


    Name brand British SxS pinfire can sell for thousands of $ , but generic Belgian guns sell for not much more than wallhangers . Ammo production probably trickled on for decades, but they were as obsolete as pocket sundials by mid 1870s .

    Think of them as the firearms equivalent of Steam Tractors, but not as intriguingly retro . Ie most US farmers continued to plow with draft horses/ mules , until adopting gasoline tractors.( And I hate to make that comparison , as I Like steam tractors , and they are considered cool/ retro/ popular in recent decades .)
     

    Threeband

    The M1 Does My Talking
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 30, 2006
    25,232
    Carroll County
    Yup. Generic Pinfire shotgun, probably Belgian.

    Pinfire was very popular between the 1830s and 1870s, mainly in France. It was used in a lot of revolvers, as well as in shotguns. I don't recall seeing a pinfire rifle, except maybe a low powered Rook type rifle (for shooting crows/"rooks").

    Pinfire cartridges have a little brass rod sticking up from the side of the cartridge at the base. The pin extends into the mouth of a percussion cap primer inside the case. Not only does the pin serve as the firing pin, but it can also be used to extract the empty shell, as the case is rimless.

    Notice the "firing pin" is part of the cartridge, not part of the gun. This picture may not make that clear. Pinfire guns all have that distinctive notch for the pin in the upper edge of the breechface, and the hammer is oddly configured to strike straight down on top of the chamber. You can spot that odd hammer set up across the room.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinfire_cartridge

    330px-Pin_fire.PNG



    Typical pistol cartridges:

    iu



    iu
     

    dannyp

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Oct 30, 2018
    1,466
    this is why i'm on this fourm , you learn something new every day . thanks !
     

    noddaz

    bonehead
    Jan 9, 2014
    530
    Arnold
    Today I learned

    Today I learned about pin fire fire arms. Very interesting piece of history. I hope the shotgun is able to be cleaned up and shot again.
     

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