Wasn't sure what forum to put this in. Single barrel forum is for rifles, so this is as good a place as any.
What I found on Google about this shotgun:
This is a slide-action Model 25 12 Gauge made by the Union Firearms Company for John Smyth company of Chicago, Ill. The date of manufactor is March of 1907 as can be seen on bottom of the reciever.This is the 25A model which identifies it as the rare trap model. It has an upgraded Damascus barrel of 30 inches with the optional solid bead. This gun has a unique double trigger. The front trigger cocked and decocked an internal firing pin and the back trigger fired the gun. This gun is marked on the right side (made for John Smyth)and the pump release on the right side of the reciever. Only 17,000 were ever produced and less than 500 with Damascus barrels and trap configurations. 12 gauge.
The Union Firearms Company produced essentially two very closely related models, the Model 24 and the Model 50, with several grades of each one. For example, there was a trap version and a Peerless version. The Standard Encyclopedia. . . notes that there were about "17,000 of all models combined. . .
Union Fire Arms Company was incorporated in Toledo, OH in 1902 by George B. Colton, and was successor to Colton Manufacturing Company (1894-1902) who made side by side double barrels for Sears, Roebuck and Company.
Union Fire Arms Company continued supplying Sears and others with double barrels under the names Union Arms Company (ca.1910), Illinois Arms Company (Sears) and Bee Bee Arms Company among others. They also manufactured single barrel guns between 1905 and 1910.
The Model 24 Slide Action gun and the Model 25A Trap version were produced from 1902 to 1913, with some 17,000 being made.
This gun had a unique double trigger system. The front Trigger cocked and de-cocked an internal firing pin while the back trigger fired the gun. Both fluid steel and Damascus barrels were available.
One serious drawback was that the slide, on the ejection stroke, extended over the wrist of the stock and could hit the shooters thumb knuckle causing injury. This defect was corrected by a 1907 redesign.
Union Fire Arms Company was purchased by Ithaca Gun Company in 1913.
First challenge was undoing the previous 'repairs. The grip was was wrapped in several yards of what I believe was 50 year old friction tape. If I recall correctly, I removed three screws, two bolts and........ BIG framing nail. :shock: :lol:
Another notch in the grip, a washer and somehow they peened the end of the nail pretty solidly against the washer.
Pictures of stock repairs in progress.
As the stock was already notched in a couple of places, I used that access to place new and longer screws before covering them. Also ran screws in from the inletting where they wouldn't be seen.
Where there had already been screws on the surface, I replaced these with longer screws and later put a plug over them.
When it was all glued and screwed, a couple layers of electrical tape, the clamped with bicycle inner tubes.
The buttplate was broken and missing a large section.
Removed the remaining piece(s) and put wax paper under it. Epoxied the broken bits back together, then made a dam to hold the dyed epoxy & flocking mix.
