doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Union Firearms sxs 16 ga

I am trying to evaluate an old hammerless double that has significant pitting in the barrels starting just beyond the shell position and extending about 6 inches up the bore. The gun has very limited markings and the owner thought it was a 12 ga but it is a 16. Serial nos match on all the parts. One piece of info on the barrels is "WILSON'S WELDED STEEL". Other than the Union Firearms Co, Toledo Ohio the only other marking is a "39", a 5 point star, and the serial no 16xx stamped in the break. Could the 39 be a model no? Is the pitting from black powder shells? I assume shell length would be 2-3/4. does it sound like it would be safe to shoot?

"Wilson's Welded Steel" was a tradename used by Sears on several maker's guns - Crescent, Colton Fire Arms, Union Firearms c. 1900.
I did a composition analysis on a Crescent single with "Wilson's Welded Steel" and it was Non-standard Bessemer (high phosphorus) Low Alloy Low Carbon Steel AISI 1017. AISI 1020 was used by a lot of U.S. makers c. 1900.

The original chamber was 2 9/16" or 2 1/2".

NO, it does not sound safe to shoot, with any load.

Jim
Welcome on your first posting
YES, what the Doc says is true
No shoot !
Mike

The pitting was most likely caused by early Corrosive primers loaded with Smokeless powder. Most black powder shooters of the day knew the gun had to be thoroughly cleaned after firing. Many early smokeless shooters Did Not.

Thanks for the info. Any age bracket on this gun? I removed the barrels in the conventional manner; removed forestock and broke open but they didn't immediately come off. It did come off later while I was handling it but I don't know what I did to accomplish this. Now, The only way I can get the barrels back on and closed is to remove a small pin (less than 1/8"dia.) from the barrel assembly. Once together, I can't reinsert the pin. It is supposed to go into a forked link in the receiver. I don't know what purpose the link serves but simply breaking the action does not allow me to access the hole for the pin and get it back into the link. Any hints?

Union kind evolved in a tangled web from Colton and Hickox (1891), later Colton Manufacturing Co. by 1894. By 1901 Colton was listed as gun manufacturers in the Toledo directories. Colton was manufacturing guns for Sears & Roebuck which appear in the 1900 and 1901 Sears catalogs. On September 8, 1902 the Union Firearms Co. was incorporated. Sears needing a supply of cheaper repeating shotguns than the Winchesters or Marlins, had a plan to acquire the remains of Spencer, from Francis Bannermann who had been manufacturing the Spencer pump, and move the equipment to Toledo. This apparently went wrong, and Colton and his people (including Charles Lefever, son of Uncle Dan) went ahead on their own to manufacture a pump. Union made a slightly different version of the pump for Sears. Union was also manufacturing a double with ejectors by 1903. Both this and the pump were in Sears 1903 catalog. Their last listing in the Toledo city directory was 1913.

By Union Fire Arms Company's 1905 catalogue they were making a single trigger double with a Lefever patent single trigger, steel, twist or Damascus barrels at $25, $26, or $27. Engraving $3.50 extra, fancy figured stock $3.50 extra, recoil pad $3.50 extra, and ejectors $10 extra. Union's Model 23 was their finely finished gun at $60 with Laminated or Damacus barrels, ejectors $10 extra. The Model 22 was their plain double with steel, twist or Damscus barrels at $18, $19, or $21, ejector $10 extra. Model 24 was the pump gun at $19 with steel barrel, $20 with Laminated barrel, and $22 with Damascus barrel. They also offered two hammer single barrels. By the 1911 catalog they had added a Model 25 Peerless pump gun, and a Model 25A which was a trap gun. I've condensed this from Joseph T. Vorisek�s "Shotgun Research Newsletter" volume three, issue one.

Jim,

The early Union Fire Arms doubles were sidelocks. The frames were square all the way forward to the hinge pin and the sideplate extended forward covering the hinge pin. The later model Union Arms Co doubles had a rounded frame forward of the barrel flats and were sideplated boxlock actions. They used a cocking hook and barrel lug similar to the Lefever. The small pin should pickup in the slot of the hook once the forend is installed.

PM me if need more info.

John

John, Using your info I can see that this one matches the "later" models and the piece I described as the link is the cocking hook. The pin prevents the barrel lug from going down; it hits the top of the hook. I've taken the pin out and the action closes and locks up fine; however, in broke position the opening for the pin is only partially exposed and the pin cannot be inserted. Even if I could install a tapered pin into the hole, it would not align with the forked portion of the hook. With the barrels removed, I have put pressure on the hook with a screwdriver against the hinge pin to lift it up. It moves but it springs back down into the receiver. I was hoping it would cock or latch but I am wary about how much force I can apply without bending something. I have been advised by others on the forum that it is a non-shooter so it doesn't have to be fixed but I hate to give it back to the owner in worse condition than when I got it. I appreciate the info you have have given and I am open for more advice if you dare. Jim Oakley

Jim;
I am not familiar with the Union Firearms doubles so don't know if this would be applicable or not. Some years back I bought an H grade Lefever parts gun which would not close. Investigation revealed the trigger plate screw had been replaced with one which was too long & it protruded into the slot in the frame for the cocking hook. On trying to close the gun the cocking hook would hit that screw & prevent it going to the bottom thus preventing the gun from closing enough to bolt up. I removed that screw & ground off a couple of threads & it closed & bolted fine, in fact, was quite tight & on the face, even though the top lever was well over to the left.

Jim,

If you were able to manipulate the barrels to remove them it would reason you should be able to get them back on. Try holding frame and barrels upside down to assemble. This may keep the hook in the raised position and let the pin enter the slot.

I have pictures but the imgur site just made changes and I cannot access my account.

John