Breech-Loading Doubles of the Butcher Collection

[Delmonico]

As one would likely guess the shotgun was the most common firearm in the Butcher collection.  In fact there were so many I'm going to break them down into types.  This thread is going to be on the breech-loading doubles.  There were several that it was hard to tell so I won't include them.  I looked for ramrods or ramrod thimbles and also the way the hammers looked, plus how the breech area looked. 

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12299, the famous posed picture of the fence cutting:





I studied this one a long time, I wish the picture was even clearer, I called the one on the right as a pin-fire based on the shape of the hammers, thoughts on it?

13212  This bunch seems to have got a few jackrabbits:

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

I've just read that the NWMP in their trek west  in 1876 had one percussion shotgun per 50 man troop. Later break open guns were used for hunting.

What is the timeframe of these break action guns?

[Delmonico]

I've just read that the NWMP in their trek west  in 1876 had one percussion shotgun per 50 man troop. Later break open guns were used for hunting.

What is the timeframe of these break action guns?

1886-1912.  The large picture and the info can be found by typing the # into here:

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/award98/nbhihtml/pshome.html

[JimBob]

#13212 That's a good un.Meat on the table

LOL Quit posting this stuff.I WAS just taking a break from doing geneoligical research on ancestry.com My pea brain has lost it's focus.

[JimBob]

I've just read that the NWMP in their trek west  in 1876 had one percussion shotgun per 50 man troop. Later break open guns were used for hunting.

What is the timeframe of these break action guns?

One of the first break action shotguns on the market was brought out by Charles Parker in 1866.This evolved into Parker Bros.in 1868 with an improved Lifter Action side lock in 1868.English makers pretty much follow a similiar timeline.The big problem was shells.It took awhile to develop reliable shells.And powder and shot was a lot cheaper at the time than factory loaded shells.You don't see much shotgun reloading equipment until the 1880s or the factories offering hulls for reloading.

[Delmonico]

One of the first break action shotguns on the market was brought out by Charles Parker in 1866.This evolved into Parker Bros.in 1868 with an improved Lifter Action side lock in 1868.English makers pretty much follow a similiar timeline.The big problem was shells.It took awhile to develop reliable shells.And powder and shot was a lot cheaper at the time than factory loaded shells.You don't see much shotgun reloading equipment until the 1880s or the factories offering hulls for reloading.

Also, I can't tell you the exact date, but before the late 1880's to early 1890's one could not buy factory loaded shotgun shelss.  One the makers finally adopted the shot sizing system of The Tatham Shot Tower of St. Louis.  The system we still use in the US today.  Before that there was no industry standard in the US.
also they had trouble developing mass produced crimping.  So the shot-shells were sold empty, empty primed of with powder and wads in place.

[JimBob]

Also, I can't tell you the exact date, but before the late 1880's to early 1890's one could not buy factory loaded shotgun shelss.  One the makers finally adopted the shot sizing system of The Tatham Shot Tower of St. Louis.  The system we still use in the US today.  Before that there was no industry standard in the US.
also they had trouble developing mass produced crimping.  So the shot-shells were sold empty, empty primed of with powder and wads in place.

Here's an interesting little article on the shotshells history http://outdoornebraska.ne.gov/nebland/articles/history/shotshells.asp The biggest problem was having a machine able to load them in commercialy viable quantities it seems.

I have a couple of the earliest Winchester paper hulls in my shotshell collection.

[Delmonico]

Here's an interesting little article on the shotshells history http://outdoornebraska.ne.gov/nebland/articles/history/shotshells.asp The biggest problem was having a machine able to load them in commercialy viable quantities it seems.

I have a couple of the earliest Winchester paper hulls in my shotshell collection.

I forgot that was on-line, I have a copy of the original artcle.  John is a local fella.  One of the best I've ever seen articles on shotshells.  I can't lay my hands on it right now, most of my library is in storage till spring, but I think the info on the shot size standard came from Frank Barnes in one of his COW.  Could be the mass production caused them to have to go to a standard for shot all over the US.  BTW the rest of the world don't always use our shot standard either.