Royal Gun Works
I was recently given a Royal Gun Works Modified Diana 16 ga. by my father-in-law. Haven't found much info on this gun so far. Anyone help? The only numbers I see are on the buttstock behind the where the broken butt plate would go. This has the exposed hammers, double triggers. Thanks
0
-
I have a old royal gun works side by side shotgun with I belive to be a serial number of 3412 on the barrel if you have any info please respond
snuff0 -
Royal Gun Works and Diana are listed as brand names used by Henri Pieper of Liege, Belgium on guns exported to Americaca ca 1880s-early 1900s.
Remove the barrels and look at underside of breech and you should find the ELG in an oval Liege proofmark.0 -
If the name on your gun is indeed ROYAL GUN WORKS the information conflicts with the information in my reference. My reference says that the name ROYAL GUN WORKS was used on doubles made by the Stevens Arms & Tool Company in .44-40 shot caliber. It is also possible that the gun is Belgian made and was made by a large Belgian maker named Anciens Etablissments Pieper who was located in Liege,Belgium. Please look at the bottom of the barrels under the forearm for Belgian proof marks consisting of the letters "ELG" in a oval with a crown on top.In any case the gun is what I call a "Trade Brand Name" shotgun which is a shotgun made by a major maker with some other name on it other than the makers name usually for and was sold by a wholesale sporting goods dealer, a retail chain store who chose the name to go on the gun. 0 -
Ned "Anciens Etablissments Pieper" was the Henri Pieper I listed:
http://www.littlegun.be/arme belge/artisans identifies p/a pieper henri gb.htm
Scroll down to Trademarks and you'll see Modified Diana and Royal Gun Works listed.0 -
In addition to what has already been reported. Between 1880 and 1914 when World War One, The Great War or The War To End All Wars (your choice) cut off exports hundreds even thousands of inexpensive Belgian made shotguns were imported into the United States.
These guns were designed and made using the technology and metallurgy of the times in which they were made. They were designed for 2 1/2 inch shotgun shells loaded with black powder and lead shot. They will have damascus barrels with 2 1/2 inch chambers. They were not designed for longer shells (2 9/16, 2 3/4 and certainly not 3 inch or magnum) loaded with smokeless powder and steel shot. My strong recommendation is don't attempt to shoot the gun. But if you insist and have your life insurance paid up, a few fingers, an eye or a forehead to spare. please before you pull the trigger have the gun inspected by a good qualified gunsmith and follow his advice. Also use the appropriate ammunition. Value? As said, these old guns were inexpensive even when new selling for between $15 and $25 (wages were $1.00 a day back then) and they haven't appreciated that much over the years. A prime condition example (rare) that appears to have come out of the factory yesterday afternoon might bring $125 at auction while a rusty metal, rotten or broken wood and missing parts piece of junk fit only for parts salvage or as a fireplace poker might bring as little a $10. Most are sold as wall hanger decorators.0 -
Thanks for the info so far. I am not planning on shooting it. All I plan on doing is cleaning it up and oiling it good. It looks remarkably good for being that old. It will be a family keepsake later on for my son. It was his great-grandfathers gun. Any idea where I could find a new butt plate for it? Thanks again 0 -
I am a former owner of my Grandfather's Royal Gun Works 12 ga double damascus much the same a described above. He said he bought it used the year he was married 1886, killed many deer with it in South Texas. As a kid in OK, 1930s I probably fired it 1000 times killing every kind of critter that crawled, ran or flew - all with smokeless. Nobody had heard of the damacus-smokless hazard in those days. It's still in good condition in my Soninlaw's collection now. 0 -
Sorry but I consider one of the old Belgian made guns, some people call them JABC (Just Another Belgian Clunker) unsafe to shoot because I can't see the gun to determine its condition. I don't know how it's been maintained over the years and rust is prone to attack the weld joints on the inside of the barrels. Some people having no knowledge of shotgun shells have no idea about shell length, powder types and shot material. They think all 12 gauge ammunition is just that, 12 gauge and they will stuff a 3 inch magnum loaded with high pressure smokeless powder and steel shot in a worn out loose action gun and pull the trigger.It pays a compliment to these old makers when the gun holds togather. One of my gun smithing books says that these old guns are an accident waiting to happen, one shot, four shots, forty shots or four hundred shots sooner or later the gun is going to let go. It's just not worth the risk. Newer, stronger guns are available at good prices. Retire that old gun to a place of honor on the wall or in a gun cabinet. 0 -
OH, to get a replacement butt plate. Finding a replacement butt plate for a over 100 year old gun can be a problem. Measure the butt of the stock at its widest points, top to bottom and side to side, record these measurements. Contact Gun Parts Inc. at www.gunpartinc.com and give them the measurements. They have plain unmarked butt plates of all common sizes. Don't forget the butt plate screws as well. 0 -
Try here. If they do not have one exactly for your gun they may have one that will work.
http://vintagegungrips.net/0
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Comments
10 comments