doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Out of proof?

From an internet pcture, you really can't tell what's going on. A good gunsmith could offer options for further use, but, it would come at a price.

Likely, too great a price for what we have here.

Best,
Ted

Dear DrewDavid from Maine,
It would be interesting to see how that gun cleaned up after being submitted to a good wirebrushing and crosschiselling.
IF IT MEASURES WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED DIMENSIONS AS LAID DOWN WITHIN THE RULES OF PROOF, legally it is permissable to sell it and / or shoot it.
It looks rough at the moment but who knows how it will clean up.
Many a gun that is now the pride and joy of a Yankee started off in much worse condition than that.
'Caveat Emptor' but nothing ventured nothing will be gained.
TLC for TLC
Tender Loving Care for The Loose Cannon

Indeed; I've seen guns in apparently worse condition than that come up looking much better after complete stripping and some oiling with mineral on metal, linseed on wood, and OOO steel wool over both - modest outlay of time and money. I have one in my battery that is a shooter.
Hard to tell without the gun and some appropriate tools in hand.
RG

In that condition the proof house would not permit it to be proofed; it would fail view. A 12 bore usually, if no modifications to chamber length or certain other factors have altered the gun, is deemed out of proof if the internal barrel measurment at 9 inch from the breech face has increased by more than 10/1000 inch to the marks stamped on the barrel. Looking at it I think that it has reached the 'scrapper' status. Not a particularly good specimen and the cost involved of returning it to being a shooter would far exceed its worth. Just an interesting piece of history at a guess. Lagopus.....

Fine Cracker barrel candidate.

Thanks again to Dr. Drew for posting the Photos of the Philip Webley 12b..I dont have the Gun"On Bench" at this present time. It is going to be a Very Interesting Project!.Salopian, I have my 1954 Rules of Proof open to page 26.Will 'Cheque'Internals with Copies of the London Proof 'Plugs'(Specs enclosed).Thats if theres any metal left in the Chamber-Walls!!!!I also have'On the Bench, P.Webley 12b Sr.No.7295 12b DB.NoN.Rebounding Locks,Has St James, London on Top Rib. Have shot many boxes of Black-Beauties with it over the years.On the Silver-Plated Trigger-Guard Bow, is engraved "Oscar Pendleton" in Luverly script'. Any thoughts on who "OP" was?Gun aprox date 1870-1874? cc/dt

CC....Somehow I can't picture that gun talking up space on your "bench".

The 1880 Census has several "Oscar Pendleton"s can you narrow down what part of the country the gun may have come from and I'll take a look and see if anything looks right. Would your gun have been very expensive when new?

Four suspects,


1880 United States Federal Census
Name: Oscar A. Pendleton
Home in 1880: Wakefield, Middlesex, Massachusetts
Age: 36
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1844
Birthplace: Maine
Relation to Head of Household: Self (Head)
Spouse's Name: Adella J.
Father's birthplace: Maine
Mother's birthplace: Maine
Occupation: Watchman
Marital Status: Married
Race: White
Gender: Male

1880 United States Federal Census
Name: Oscar Pendleton
Home in 1880: Melrose, Middlesex, Massachusetts
Age: 32
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1848
Birthplace: Massachusetts
Relation to Head of Household: Son
Father's Name: John
Father's birthplace: Me.
Mother's Name: Jane
Mother's birthplace: Vt.
Neighbors: View others on page
Occupation: Ship Chandler
Marital Status: Single
Race: White
Gender: Male


1880 United States Federal Census
Oscar F. Pendleton
Home in 1880: Stonington, New London, Connecticut
Age: 30
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1850
Birthplace: Connecticut
Relation to Head of Household: Son
Father's Name: Moses
Father's birthplace: Connecticut
Mother's Name: Francis E.
Mother's birthplace: Connecticut
Neighbors: View others on page
Occupation: Grocer Clerk
Marital Status: Single
Race: White
Gender: Male




1880 United States Federal Census
Name: Oscar Pendleton
Home in 1880: Union, Hancock, Ohio
Age: 21
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1859
Birthplace: Ohio
Father's birthplace: Maine
Mother's birthplace: Ohio
Occupation: Fruit Agent
Marital Status: Single
Race: White
Gender: Male

After reading Sherman Bell's latest article in the DGJ,I would try try a good clean-up as described above and go to the tractor tire and long string test with some light loads.Venture naught...
Best Regards
Distel

One encouraging sign I see here is the extractor is not rusted up solid and apparentely still moves back and forth. It would be interesting to hear the opinion of a good double smith as to the restorability of this shotgun.
Jim