Belgian Shotgun Help

[kstone803]

One of the guys I work with just stopped by my office with an interesting story. Apparently he bought a SxS at a gun show in Atlanta and it ended up being a Belgian gun made in 1900. It is not a browning. He took it to a gunsmith to have it looked over and it is currently there getting some work done. Gunsmith told him it was made of wrapped steel(never heard of this before today). Anyways the point is he wants to shoot it but the gunsmith said he couldn't use modern commercial ammo so he's looking for high brass low pressure shells. Anybody got any recommendations? I was thinking something like these (http://www.cowboyshootingstore.com/product_p/winc-aal127box.htm). I'm trying to get him to send me the pics he has of it so I can get a better idea of what exactly it is. Thanks in advance.

 

[fuddlebucks.com]

One of the guys I work with just stopped by my office with an interesting story. Apparently he bought a SxS at a gun show in Atlanta and it ended up being a Belgian gun made in 1900. It is not a browning. He took it to a gunsmith to have it looked over and it is currently there getting some work done. Gunsmith told him it was made of wrapped steel(never heard of this before today). Anyways the point is he wants to shoot it but the gunsmith said he couldn't use modern commercial ammo so he's looking for high brass low pressure shells. Anybody got any recommendations? I was thinking something like these (http://www.cowboyshootingstore.com/product_p/winc-aal127box.htm). I'm trying to get him to send me the pics he has of it so I can get a better idea of what exactly it is. Thanks in advance.

Chamber length will be an issue on these but Im sure the gunsmith has advised him on that. Alot of older shotguns use the 2 5/8" not the modern 2 3/4"

 

[hvymax]

It has "Damascus Steel" barrels. They were safe with the black powder shells of the day but as you and he have found out not modern loads. The cowboy loads should be safe but unless you or he handload it will not be cheap. Wal Mart sells Pyrodex for about $18lb and for about $50 you can get a Lee Load All. Playing with classics is rewarding and worth the effort. The reloader will pay for itself in a few hundred rounds and keep a classic from becoming a wallhanger.

 

[hvymax]

Chamber length will be an issue on these but Im sure the gunsmith has advised him on that. Alot of older shotguns use the 2 5/8" not the modern 2 3/4"

Trimming shells is too easy all you need is a knife.

 

[fuddlebucks.com]

Trimming shells is too easy all you need is a knife.

I dont know much about Damascus barrels but Ive heard they can break down over time. Is he getting the barrel proofed?

 

[blackthorne]

There were several different kinds of bbls made before fluid steel bbls. Most of them remain to be just fine to shoot. Concerns over damascus bbls are pretty much overblown in the rumor mill. They are very strong bbls. Any gun like this needs to be checked out by a gunsmith who knows old doubles before shooting it. You need to have the chambers measured to see just what you have and you need the headspace checked. Shooting low pressure shells in these guns has little to do with bbl concerns and much more to do with the action integrity. Polywad and a couple of others sell low pressure shells in the more common 12ga lengths, that is 2", 2 1/2" and 2 3/4".

There were many Belgian makers. Some were very high quality, while others were not. Many were imported and sold through hardware stores at one time.

 

[ProShooter]

If its a Pieper shotgun, hang it on the wall and forget about it.

 

[blackthorne]

Try these after you have it checked out: http://www.polywad.com/vintager.html

 

[kstone803]

Try these after you have it checked out: http://www.polywad.com/vintager.html

Thanks. Those look perfect. Still trying to get those pics but apparently he made a good buy for $175.

 

[blackthorne]

Thanks. Those look perfect. Still trying to get those pics but apparently he made a good buy for $175.

Hell yeah, even if you can't shoot it, that's what decent wall hangers go for.

Also... make sure it's really damascus or some other twist type bbl. Looks can be deceiving. At about the time gun makers were switching to fluid steel bbls, they were a tough sell to a lot of shooters. So, some guns were actually fluid steel etched to look like damascus. I have one like that, also a Belgian gun (Manhattan Arms). It's actually marked "Damascus Like" steel.

 

[Cochise]

Polywad or RST both make good CIP pressure shells.
Pieper made some great shotguns as well as some crap. I regularly shoot five Pieper or Pieper made Bayard shotguns. One is damascus, one is twist and the other 3 have steel barrels. All but one have outside hammers.
They are my favorite if not anywhere near my most valuable shotguns.

 

[Copper]

I have one of those old Belgians. I don't shoot it though. I ran across a site that sells black powder shotgun shells and they weren't that salty. I can't remember the site right this second but if my dementia fades I'll post up the site.

 

[captainstashu]

HI!

I enjoyed reading your discussion about the old Belgian Damascus barrel gun.

I actually just picked up an old double barreled Damascus steel barreled shotgun. It is in overall good shape with a few problems. I just started researching it and could use some help.

First off here goes.

It is a Parker Brothers double hammer, upper lever, 12 gauge with 28 inch barrels. The parts all have their own patent dates. The trigger guard is March 23, 1975; and the barrels appear to be April 11, 1878. The action is patented March 16, 1875, and the fore end is March 26, 1878. They have identical serial numbers of 65162 which appears to make it an 1891 manufactured gun.

It has a checked pistol grip and a hard rubber butt plate with a dog and a duck in his mouth surrounded by an the words Parker Brothers. The gun itself is not engraved.

While it appears to function properly some goober in the past unfortunately worked on it. There is a small pry mark on the left side plate and a hand made screw holding on the right hammer. Other than that the stock and gun overall is very nice looking.

I will try to find my wifes camera and send pics but I don't have the camera right now.

I have no idea of its value although I know Parker Brothers guns were very well made and respected guns. The barrels are dirty but I don't think they are pitted or damaged.

If anyone knows about this gun please let me know. It is quite a pretty old piece.

 

[rpker]

you could try these and roll your own...IMHO it would be to much trouble for the risk though

http://www.buffaloarms.com/Detail.aspx?PROD=161406&CAT=3832