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#553179 08/21/19 04:51 PM
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Sidelock
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Sidelock

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Oral history in my family is that this 11ga muzzle loader came west over the arm of my great great grandfather after the civil war. I've been unable to find out much about this gun maker, W. Morse & Co. I did find mention of a gun maker Wm. Morse and another reference to a Geo. W. Morse of Worcester, MA. I'd be grateful for any information the group could pass on to me about this gun maker and help with answering the question: Is this gun of the period that it could have come west in the late 1860's?




Last edited by ShowMeSon; 12/19/19 05:59 PM.

Speude Bradeos
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Sidelock
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If you moved the key out you should be able to remove the barrels from the action. Then look to see if there are any proof marks on the underside. That would give you confirmation of British or Belgian origin. Made in the US you would find no proof marks. If unclear how to move the key go to YouTube and watch it done there on black powder muzzle loaders.

Another thing to do is to make certain there are no loads in those barrels. Seems like half the old family muzzle loaders seem to have on or both barrels still loaded. Get a long wooded dowel and mark it from the muzzle end to the rear of the barrel. If you drop it down the bore and it is a couple inches too long consider that gun to still be loaded. Black powder will last a long time.

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Good, advise from KY Jon on checking for a load.

Some years back a gentleman I was good friends with told me he had his grandad's ML double shotgun which had hung on his wall for approximately 50 years. He was wanting to pass it on to his grandson but had known all those years it was loaded. He asked me if I ould unload it for him, I said yes so he brought it to me. I proceeded to wet down the bores real good & pulled the top wads. The shot poured out more as a grey powder than actual shot. I then pulled the over powder wads & poured out the powder which was a wet sloppy mess. I poured it out on a flat steel plate & lit a propane torch. I ran this close above the powder & let the heat dry it a bit & then dipped the flame down to the powder & it went up in a Woof of white smoke. I have little doubt had I made sure the nipples were clear & capped it, it would have fired after all those years

A distant cousin of mine has our great Grandfather's rifle. He & his siblings had played with it for years. One day his Sister carried it to school on the bus for a "Show & Tell". She was sitting in the seat holding it & for some reason, she cocked the hammer & pulled the trigger Even though it was uncapped, she shot a hole through the roof of the bus. All that time they had played with it, no one ever checked to see if it was loaded.


Miller/TN
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https://forums.gunboards.com/showthread.php?89347-W-M-morse-and-Company

A breechloader with the same marks
http://www.gundersonmilitaria.com/shotgunpercmorse.html

A sidelever; 4th one down.
https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/2024/619/five-shotguns

No hits here, but several on George W. Morse
https://archive.org/details/gunmaker00satt

So we have ML, to sidelever, to toplever breechloader. If Morse was a maker one would think there would be more evidence thereof. I'm betting a tradename, maybe the Morse Hardware in KY?
The Missouri Hause came from KY. Hawesville in on the Ohio river.

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Sidelock
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Sidelock

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Thanks KY Jon and Miller. Appreciate the reminder.

Last edited by ShowMeSon; 08/22/19 07:36 PM.

Speude Bradeos
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Sidelock
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Thanks, Drew. I did come across that Morse Hardware but ran into a dead end after that.


Speude Bradeos
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Sidelock
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Sidelock

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Thanks to the 300+ of you who read this request and gave some thought to the question. It seems that what I accomplished was to increase the number of us scratching our heads about W. Morse & Co. gunmakers. Id appreciate your keeping this in mind as you continue to read and learn about double guns and if you come across a mention of W. Morse Id appreciate your looking this thread back up and sharing what you found. Thanks.


Speude Bradeos
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Proof marks would help your quest. If British or Belgian proof marks are found you could narrow the date it was made and even make a few guesses about who sold it.

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Sidelock
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Sidelock

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Thanks for the reminder, Jon. I did look up and watch a good video on that process. Unfortunately, the top screw is rusted in so will have a longer process to get that freed and out. Ill update this thread as to what I find.


Speude Bradeos
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You should be able to remove the wedge across the forend & unhook the barrels from the breech. The top screw does not have to be removed to take the barrels off. If it has proof marks they will be on the underside of the barrels. If it is UUS made it will either have no proof marks or perhaps provisional proofs if the barrels were purchased abroad.


Miller/TN
I Didn't Say Everything I Said, Yogi Berra
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