I was at a very small show in N. E. Ohio a couple weeks ago and came across this old over/under double. The more I looked at it the more unusual features, at least to me, showed up. We ended up with several guys huddled around it and most thought it was unusual in several areas. Most of all the twist rifling on the small top barrel and straight grooves on the bottom "cannon" barrel. Would have made quite a deer gun I would surmise. The gun is completely unmarked except for the locks. It is quite heavy coming in at about 13lbs. We had guesses as to its origination all the way from E. New York to Mi. and everywhere in between. I'd be curious if any of the folks on the board have seen such a beast. Here is a summary of the details and some pictures. Thanks, Jack
Double barrel over/under rifle.
Details:
Very fancy burled walnut stock with wrist checkering.
All brass wide trigger guard and butt plate.
29” heavy round barrels measuring 1 1/8 at breach with taper to 13/16 at muzzle.
Top barrel bore measures about .444 with 5 lands and grooves.
Bottom barrel bore measures about .650 with 8 lands and grooves.
G. Goulcher locks.
Features:
The top barrel is twist rifling with very wide lands much like a civil war musket.
The bottom barrel also has wide lands but the rifling is straight.
The gun has a hooked breach with a taper pin used to lock the barrels to the receiver.
Instead of the usual long nose hammer to reach the bottom barrel there is apparently a passage drilled from the nipple down to the bottom barrel. This eliminates the need for the long hammer.
The right lock that fires the top barrel had a provision for sear adjustment. This consists of a screw that runs through the lock plate with a taper on the inside that engages the sear. Running the screw in makes for a “hair” trigger.
Heavy gun, wt. about 13lbs.
