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Forums10
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Most Online1,258 Mar 29th, 2024
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Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 4
Boxlock
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OP
Boxlock
Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 4 |
I don't pretend to know more about the history of this gun than you or your father, but it shows signs of of having been buried or otherwise hidden under harsh conditions to avoid having to turn it over to postwar authorities for destruction. This was often done and is a lesson about the futility of trying to confiscate citizens guns. After the war, many such guns came to light, often to trade for food , and quick cleaning methods didn't always kill the rust which could continue during years of further storage. Mike That is very interesting Mike. Would certainly add another dimension to the story, although I think whatever the history is is probably forever gone by now. If only someone had written something down!
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Joined: Dec 2020
Posts: 904 Likes: 359
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2020
Posts: 904 Likes: 359 |
Dear BoatBum,
Yes, those are chopper lump barrels and that is the seam showing in your photo.
One half of each barrel lump is an integral forging with the barrel tube.
I hope that you will not mind by saying that your Dad was wrong in his assessment of the gun.
It is a best quality hand built gun from gun making’s golden age.
As to the bores, you need to get a gunsmith with a wall thickness gauge to give you an opinion once you have been able to scrub out any loose rust.
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,521 Likes: 20
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,521 Likes: 20 |
Boatbum:
Sometime in the 1990s, Griffin & Howe had a number of guns for sale that came out of the DDR after the fall of the Berlin Wall. All had been hidden by their owners during the era of Soviet control of East Germany and they all had similar pitting issues to those shown on your gun. If Paul Chapman is still with them, he could tell you more about that group of guns and what restoration techniques were used to rectify the issues with them.
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Joined: May 2013
Posts: 221 Likes: 44
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 221 Likes: 44 |
I don't pretend to know more about the history of this gun than you or your father, but it shows signs of of having been buried or otherwise hidden under harsh conditions to avoid having to turn it over to postwar authorities for destruction. This was often done and is a lesson about the futility of trying to confiscate citizens guns. After the war, many such guns came to light, often to trade for food , and quick cleaning methods didn't always kill the rust which could continue during years of further storage. Mike That is very interesting Mike. Would certainly add another dimension to the story, although I think whatever the history is is probably forever gone by now. If only someone had written something down! Dear BoatBum, this is a wonderful story. I researched Matska's guns and wrote an article once. I hope you find the answers there. Regards, Igor https://wp.me/p461yQ-PTP.S. Please use Google Translate
Last edited by Robertovich; 02/01/21 10:54 AM.
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1 member likes this:
graybeardtmm3 |
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Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 4
Boxlock
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OP
Boxlock
Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 4 |
Dear BoatBum, this is a wonderful story. I researched Matska's guns and wrote an article once. I hope you find the answers there. Regards, Igor https://wp.me/p461yQ-PTP.S. Please use Google Translate Thank you Igor, that is an excellent article! Please let me know if there are any other details I can provide for your spreadsheet. Boatbum:
Sometime in the 1990s, Griffin & Howe had a number of guns for sale that came out of the DDR after the fall of the Berlin Wall. All had been hidden by their owners during the era of Soviet control of East Germany and they all had similar pitting issues to those shown on your gun. If Paul Chapman is still with them, he could tell you more about that group of guns and what restoration techniques were used to rectify the issues with them. I will get in touch with them, thanks for the lead.
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 15,456 Likes: 86
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 15,456 Likes: 86 |
Sad to see she was found in such condition....I see three options.
Option 1...Find some barrels and restore her to her former glory.
Option 2...cut the barrels about 8 inches up from the breech face....mount her butt on a nice piece of wood...run a 110volt wire up to a light bulb fixture...top it off with a nice shade and you'll have a unique table lamp....(leave it full length and you have a pole lamp)
Option 3...drive her in the ground in your Tomato garden and admire her as she returns dust to dust....
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,736 Likes: 96
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,736 Likes: 96 |
Don't listen to Joe he's only joking! Have it assessed by someone who understands double guns in the trade. I've seen worse looking guns brought back into good use. It's a product of Birmingham but somehow escaped getting the full Proof marks that it should have had. A mid range quality hammer gun and worth a second chance. Lagopus…..
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Joined: May 2013
Posts: 221 Likes: 44
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 221 Likes: 44 |
Dear BoatBum, thanks for the article estimation. I can put your shotgun in my database. For this I would like to know its weight, the weight of the barrels and muzzle constrictions. Thank you in advance. Regards, Igor
Last edited by Robertovich; 02/04/21 03:09 PM.
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 15,456 Likes: 86
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 15,456 Likes: 86 |
I was as serious as a heart attack....
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