Come across a gunmaker "BI Hart of NY"?

[kipk9]

I recently inherited a double barreled percussion gun with "BI Hart NY" stamped as the maker. Unfortunately it has the left lock missing- looks great from one side lousy from the other!  Anyone have information on this gun manufacturer company or person? I believe it might also be "BI Hart and Bro" late in the 1800s....
Thanks for any input 

[eddillon]

Volume II of Swinney's New York Firearms Trade lists no BI Hart.  Wm A. Hart of Fredonia, NY was a talented maker and importer.  He had a brother, S. Smith who was also involved in the gun trade.  Wm A Hart was in the trade 1820 to 1827.  His name re-appears in North Carolina.

[Steve Collward]

 Swinney/Rowe's NYS Firearms trade Vol.5, pg. 208-11 lists the following:
  "Hart & Bro. in New York City 1853-1865"
  "Hart, B.J. & Bro. New York City 1847"
  "Hart, B.F. New York City ? 1855-?1865"
  "Hart, B.L.,  New York City"
  "Hart, Joseph, N.Y.C., 1850".
sc

[kipk9]

Thanks that's a great start to find out more. Greatly appreciated