Moseley: The kind of gun you describe is often called a "farmer's gun" or "hardware store gun," and is the kind of hard-working tool that helped build America a century ago. Many of us here understand your desire to put it back in action. Here are a few thoughts that may make your project easier.
* Belgian doubles of this era and style, and the W. Richards name in particular, are pretty common, and a search on the Internet might turn up a similar gun you could buy for parts, or the parts themselves.
* An experienced gunsmith who truly specializes in old doubles can replace missing parts, repair broken parts, and check out the barrels for safety, which would be smart.
* If the barrels don't pass muster, which is a distinct possibility, you can buy sub-gauge inserts that take a 12 down to a 20 (or whatever) and contain the pressure.
* You can buy very both low pressure and black powder shells from a specialty outfit like RST for $10 a box.
Good luck with the restoration, and the squirrel hunt! TT
