Original British 14 Bore Double Barrel Percussion Fowling Piece by William Moore & Co. of London - Circa 1870

Original Item: Only One Available. Here we have a typical British-made Double Barreled Percussion fowling piece (shotgun), possibly intended for the large U.S. import market. It is marked on both lock plates with WM MOORE & Co, a known London maker with a long history. WILLIAM MOORE was a British Gunsmith, who operated at 78 Edgware Road, London, and worked from 1790 until 1835, after which he took on partners, who continued the firm after his passing.

The wide barrel strap still has a faint marking on the top:

LONDON FINE TWIST

This means that the barrel is "twist forged", possibly from nail stubs or some other material. The spiral pattern on the barrel is still visible in areas, though hard to see due to the cleaning the barrel received, which is why removing the barrel is necessary. This method of barrel production resulted in stronger steel. We can see also a faint 1 3 G A vertical stamping, however this is not correct.

The bottoms of each barrel bear the CROWN / VBP definitive black powder proof mark from the City of Birmingham Proof House, which was first instituted in 1868. We can also see WM stamped on one barrel, for "William More", and one barrel is marked with 14, while the other is marked with 15. Most likely one barrel proved just a bit smaller, so it was marked with 15 bore instead of 14. We measured both barrels, and they are just a bit over spec. It does however look like the muzzle ends of the barrels were cleaned aggressively or possibly reamed a bit to remove oxidation. It should be noted that the right barrel is partly detached from the barrel assembly due to the solder joint failing near the breech end.

This very nice DOUBLE BARREL 14 bore Percussion Shotgun presents very nicely, with a lovely patina of age. The wrist of the stock is finely checkered for a better grip, which is still well retained. The butt stock is also made using lovely figured walnut, which shows a high degree of flame on the left side. The shotgun's fittings are mostly of iron except for a small brass shield-shaped escutcheon on the bottom of the butt stock, which is blank. There is some simple line engraving on the fittings, which is fairly well retained. The barrel wedge can still be removed easily, and the barrel removed with a bit of wiggling.

The locks are both functional, however neither will hold at half cock, and the left hammer shows a repair to the base of the spur. The cap nipple cones look to be original and show wear and oxidation on the exterior. There is a brass-tipped wooden ramrod under the barrel, which looks to be original.

This is a very nice looking gun by a known London maker, and would look perfect mounted on the wall. Ready to display!

Specifications-

Year of Manufacture: c.1870
Caliber: 14 Bore / Gauge - about 0.693
Cartridge Type: Powder & Shot with Cap
Barrel Length: 30 3/4 Inches
Overall Length: 47 Inches
Action type: Side Action Locks
Feed System: Muzzle Loaded

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