WM MOORE CO. DBL. 12 Ga. Shotgun

cwalker5

May 07, 2003 09:03

I have a wm moore co. dbl. 12 Ga. shotgun. It was my grand fathers who past away before I was born. I have been surching for info on this gun, but, have had no luck. I believe that it is somewhere between 100 to 150 years old. I would like to know a little more about it or somewhere to look it up. I also would like to find out the value of this Gun.

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  nord

  May 07, 2003 09:58

  Find the "ELG" proof on the watertable, or on the barrel flats and you'll have a Belgian utility gun produced in the c. 1900 era. These guns are almost always of damascus construction and are unsafe to shoot with modern loads... Or any other for that matter.
  
  Value is not as a gun. Rather, as a wall decoration. Usually these guns bring considerably less than $200.00.
  
  Nord

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  brayhaven

  May 08, 2003 05:03

  You didn't mention whether it's breech or muzzle loader. These were sold through england (most of them) nut most were made in Belgium. They were a pretty well made gun for a "hardware store gun". I had a 12 ga ML that I shot a bunch (ducks & turkeys mostly) before someone offered me way more than it was worth & I sent it on to another shooter. A lot of these guns had fluid steel barrels and were good shooters but the older ones still should use very low pressure loads. there's been a difference of opinion here (whate else is new ) about the damascus bbls and most feel they should be relegated to the fireplace which is, of course the safe thing to do. If it's a ML, be sure to check to see if it's loaded. I've had a lot of old guns bought to me that still had loads in them. Some even had them stacked up.
  Greg Sefton

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  Xracer

  May 08, 2003 05:31

  Can you please give us ALL of the writing on the gun....including proof marks, if any?
  
  This is most likely a "Hardware Store" gun. If it has any proofmarks, it will most likely have an "ELG" and be a Belgian made gun.
  
  If it has no proofmarks, it was most likely made by either Crescent or Hopkins & Allen in Norwich, CT.

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  v35

  May 09, 2003 19:56

  My Wm Moore London 12 bore percussion double has laminated steel barrels and carries British proofs under the barrels and breech plugs.

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