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  • tallen702

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Sep 3, 2012
    5,102
    In the boonies of MoCo
    I'm bidding on a shotgun in local auction that is a complete headscratcher to me. It's likely unusable outside of being a true curio and relic, but it looked rather neat and despite scouring the internet all day, I couldn't find but one other example that sold on gunauction without the buttstock.

    It's a John M. Smyth Company of Chicago pump-action shotgun in 12ga (supposedly). Attached are pictures of the only other example I could find.

    Can anyone identify the action? Most of what I've found says that Smyth was a hardware/department store in the late 19th and early 20th century in Chicago. All of the other examples of shotguns I can find with their name are either American/Crescent/Folsom or Iver Johnson models with the J M S name on them. I can't find any pumps from those lines that look like this either.

    Any help would be appreciated as I'm certain I'll need to track down some parts to make it whole again should I win it.
     

    Attachments

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    John from MD

    American Patriot
    MDS Supporter
    May 12, 2005
    22,738
    Socialist State of Maryland
    Union Firearms Co. Model 25. Made in the early 1900's. Weird design made for trap. For some reason, shucking shell did not cock the gun, the front trigger did that. Smyth was a Chicago sell everything store back in the day.
     

    teratos

    My hair is amazing
    MDS Supporter
    Patriot Picket
    Jan 22, 2009
    59,775
    Bel Air
    The knowledge some folks have of these obscure firearms is humbling. I love this place.
     

    tallen702

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Sep 3, 2012
    5,102
    In the boonies of MoCo
    Well folks, I didn't win that particular auction. Price got too high for me to risk given that it was in pretty bad shape and obviously missing some parts. This was the particular lot of interest: https://maryland-b.hibid.com/lot/75...5198-/?g=all-categories&ipp=10&q=&ref=catalog

    Also missed out on a Remington 1889 but it would have likely required far more than my skill to properly restore, so I'm not too sad about that one.

    The only one I DID win was a MAS 36 that looks to be a bring-back or Pre-68 import from the scant photos they have. Got it for what I'm told is a good price.
     

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