Inherited shotgun - Anyone know what it is?

[BuckWallace]

I just inherited this double-barrel 12ga and have no clue what I'm looking at. I'm hoping some of you shotgun experts can tell me! It looks like the main marking where the barrel meets the receiver says "HLC" or something close to that, but I can't quite make it out.

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[CLT65]

It looks like the main marking where the barrel meets the receiver says "HLC" or something close to that, but I can't quite make it out.

That's actually "E L G", and it's a Belgian proof mark for breech loading black powder guns. That means that it was originally proofed and rated for shotgun cartridges loaded with black powder.

I'm not an expert on those old gun, but I looked up similar info for a friend not too long ago.

Large quantities of shotguns like that came from Europe 100+ years ago. They were typically not expensive, and being that yours doesn't have other markings, I assume it's one of those, probably from Belgium or Spain. I wouldn't shoot modern ammo in it. If it's in good condition otherwise, I would think it would be fine to shoot carefully down-loaded ammo, or black powder loaded shells in.

 

[BuckWallace]

Ah, "ELG"! Thanks for the info—I wasn't expecting it to be worth anything and definitely wasn't planning to shoot it. My father-in-law traded some crap for it a while back, so I thought it was just something cool to have. Thanks again for the history lesson.

 

[CLT65]

They are neat old guns, and a cool piece of history.

 

[BigGame]

I inherited a similar gun from my father. Mine certainly falls into the category described by CLT65, though mine has markings and I can trace it to the Basque region in Spain (Eibar). For what it's worth, the workmanship on yours looks finer than mine.

 

[Sarchet]

As a black powder proofed gun there's a good chance the chambers and forcing cones are considerably shorter than a modern shotgun. The paper shells back then were shorter to start with, and they were roll crimped which didn't need as much room to open up. Check the chamber before shooting any shells, black powder loaded or not.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Once you find out the chambering and such....RST Shot Shells are excellent for vintage shotguns.
Andy
Edit to add link :
www.rstshells.com

 

[CLT65]

As a black powder proofed gun there's a good chance the chambers and forcing cones are considerably shorter than a modern shotgun. The paper shells back then were shorter to start with, and they were roll crimped which didn't need as much room to open up. Check the chamber before shooting any shells, black powder loaded or not.

I'm glad you brought that up; I forgot to mention that. My friend's old gun had 2 1/2" chambers. I told him multiple times that he shouldn't fire modern ammo in it, but I think he does anyhow. It's his gun, I warned him.

 

[turq]

Brownells just sent me ads for 1 3/4" shells lead 7.5shot
$99 for 300. I think

 

[tac]

'kay. ELG = Épreuve Liége = the Liége Proof House in Belgium. If you take the barrels off and look at the water table - the flat part of the action - and underneath the barrels, you'll see a whole load of other stamps - show us what they are and we can tell you a LOT more about your nice old gun.

I get to shoot a similar gun to this one, in age, with 2 1/2" BP cartridges - even been known to bust a clay, now and then.

 

[CLT65]

Brownells just sent me ads for 1 3/4" shells lead 7.5shot
$99 for 300. I think

I don't know for sure, but I suspect that though they are plenty short enough for the chambers, those shells are probably still loaded too hot for old black-powder rated guns.

 

[DeanMk]

This sounds like something imported by H & D Folsom Arms, sometime between the late 1800's and early 1900's.
From the looks of it, it appears to be one of the better examples of the guns they imported (because despite the company name alluding to an arms maker, I believe they imported everything they sold from Europe).
During that time, rather inexpensive, "cheap" guns from Belgium (and Spain, as well, I believe) were flooding the American market with "off-brand" firearms.
The fact that there's no makers mark also points to this.
The guns they imported are still found on the used market (obviously) and don't command a very high price due to the overall dubious build quality of most of those firearms.
My suggestion...if you want to shoot it, have it checked out by a qualified 'smith, then only shoot low powered loads through it.
"Rabbit & Squirrel", "Upland", "Target", loads of these types (Just saw CLT65's comments and yes, Black Powder would be a good choice, too).
The 'smith would probably qualify it as a wall hanger, which is actually not bad advice.

Dean

 

[tac]

In the absence of any further information about this old gun, I would not shoot ANYTHING in it that was not black powder. A better, face-on version of image #1 without shadow would tell us whether or not it was nitro-proofed.

Over to the OP............................

 

[coop44]

No " moose and squirrel "?

 

[turq]

I was wrong THESE SHORT shells have the same SAMMI spec pressure in chamber as 2 3/4 "
NOT a blackpowder substitute !

 

[tac]

I was wrong THESE SHORT shells have the same SAMMI spec pressure in chamber as 2 3/4 "
NOT a blackpowder substitute !

I don't know ANYBODY who loads a BP substitute. In any case, the usual subs, Pyrodex C [for cartridges] or RS [for rifles/shotguns] or Triple 7 of one grade or another, has the same or higher working pressure than the BP they are sub-ing. That's why sub loads are between 10 and 15% LESS by weight than the BP they are replacing. The volume is the same though.