doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Had a good day at the gun auction today.

Picked up two guns cheap today. I was looking for an English 10 ga this Claybough & Johnson went for $340. Description included "bores are bright and shiny". I wasn't looking or a muzzle loader but I couldn't let it go for $130. Blanch 16 bore. Looks like the rib might have been re-soldered but it has some nice wood on it.

https://imgur.com/mTbcYXR
https://imgur.com/KBjiNAo
https://imgur.com/0nIA8Iw
https://imgur.com/xQyfYnK
https://imgur.com/dfMIO8m
https://imgur.com/OceeYaU

Both look great...but the muzzle loader has particularly attractive lines.

The platinum breathing plugs are worth more than you paid.

Mike;
I would say you made a good deal on both of these guns. Love the wood on that Blanch. I have a J P Clabrough & Bros 12 ga that is a very good shooting gun. At one point in time, I shot it rather extensively with 1 oz reloads @ around 8K psi. Mine was "I Think" made in the late 1890s. I believe the Clabrough & Johnston guns are later & probably post 1900. I noted yours has the cross bolt in the rib extension, my 12 was listed as the Field grade & has only a Doll's Head. Also, your lock plates have a different shape than mine.

Joe;
Are you sure those are "Breathing Plugs", or perhaps just Blow Out plugs? Maybe it's just my old eyes, but I do not see a vent there, looks like a solid plug.

Spectacular guns and crazy good prices. In March, I sold a lesser muzzleloading double gun for more than 3x what you paid for yours.

Nice wood on that ML!

I first thought that too Miller but was later told the vent plugs weren't designed to be blown out...they originally had pin holes so the charge could breath. Platinum was the only material that could withstand the fire.

Reportedly to make the system more open...when cap locks first came on the scene the flint lock crowd claimed the flint locks shot harder because being a more open system the fire could breath better.

That's what I was told by a very knowledgeable person.

I am also surprised at what looks like more modern stock measurements.

FOR MIKE








What I did to show the pictures is this
[img]https://imgur.com/OceeYaU.jpg[/img
and I left the last ] off so the link would show.

Just add the .jpg and the IM codes

Joe;
I will have to do a bit of looking on this, I seem to recall W Greener mentioning it in his book. He devoted a chapter to the "Patent Breeches".

I was aware they were made as you say for "Breathing" but am "Almost" certain they were made solid as well.
Perhaps their purpose was not to actually Blow Out but seems as over the years they gained that moniker. It's likely that it was simply expedient to drill through from the outside to make a connection between the bore & the cap channel & then it was plugged. Don't recall if they continued to use platinum for this type or not though.

I was under the impression that those with the holes had one of a similar size to the touch hole on a flintlock, so would have thought it visible in the picture, & I can't see a hole there.