Jim,
I don't know much about the gun other than the markings. In gold on the rib is "Kreisser et Weigandt a Leipzig", "Kreisser" on right lock and "Weigandt" on left lock. It has very fine acanthus engraving on the locks, hammers, tang and breech plugs. Very elaborate stock engraving and the full horn trigger guard is acanthus carved and checkered.
The gun was probably made somewhere around 1850 but if anyone has a better guess I'd love to know. For that matter, if anyone knows anything more about these guns I'd like to know. With two exceptions the gun is in extraordinary original condition, Damascus barrels with shiny unblemished bores. I made the ramrod as the one it came with was a poorly executed dowel of some sort and the sling mounts had been removed. The middle thimble needs to have a new sling loop mount made and attached and the rear sling button that I installed needs to be engraved.
The gun is a 16 gauge, weighs 6 lb 13 oz, has a LOP of 14 1/2" and fits me as well as my favorite Merkel. This is a gun that you'd actually enjoy carrying up into the high country for chukar hunting in central Washington.
Probably more than you wanted to know but the Germans were building extraordinary guns in this time frame and they deserve more attention, maybe as good as anything produced then.
Dennis
