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Posted By: Adam Stinson American Hammer Gun by G.W. Golcher - 12/18/16 09:20 PM
Found an interesting piece at a local shop and would like more info about the gun and maker. The piece was made by G.W. Golcher addressed 1934 Frankford Ave Philadelphia, PA. 10-bore, 30" barrels w/ wide swamped rib, rebounding hammers, bar action sidelock, splinter forend with 1/2 pistol grip, horn butt. Excellent condition for its age. Checkering still sharp and a lot of color case still remains. Any idea of value? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Adam



















Posted By: ellenbr Re: American Hammer Gun by G.W. Golcher - 12/18/16 09:33 PM
Actually, British or Birmingham, stamped 12 bore @ proof. Brought to a state of completion in Birmingham & possibly adorned in the U.S. is A., Unless Daly was involved.


Cheers,

Raimey
rse
Posted By: Norm Re: American Hammer Gun by G.W. Golcher - 12/18/16 09:42 PM
http://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=198398&page=2
Posted By: Dan S. W. Re: American Hammer Gun by G.W. Golcher - 12/18/16 09:46 PM
+1 on the proofed 12 gauge - I had a hammer gun that was stamped 12 and had been honed out to 10 gauge. Would check those measurements fairly carefully. My gun obviously was greatly devalued as a result even though it had ample wall thickness remaining with .022-.023 at the thinnest point and plenty of meat at the forcing cones.
Posted By: ellenbr Re: American Hammer Gun by G.W. Golcher - 12/19/16 12:36 AM
GH just may note George Haynes of 53 Cliveland Street & CW could be for Christopher Wooley but I'm not sure to what task each set of initials should be paired.

Cheers,

Raimey
rse
That doesn't appear to be a swamped rib. It would more properly be referred to as a wide concave rib.
Nice old gun, by the way.

Best,
Ted
Posted By: 2-piper Re: American Hammer Gun by G.W. Golcher - 12/19/16 01:16 AM
It is a pre 1887 proof & at that time chamber was not marked, only the bore. Also at this pint the "Tween" gauges were not in use thus a bore marked 12 could be anywhere from just accepting a 12 gauge plug gage (.729") up to just not accepting an 11 gauge (.751") one. It is truly hard to ascertain what the original chambering was. Several Birmingham proofed guns have been mentioned here previously, including one of mine, which are marked 14 but have 12 gauge chambers.
Agree with Ted, that looks like a concave rib, but not a swamped one.
Posted By: Roy Hebbes Re: American Hammer Gun by G.W. Golcher - 12/19/16 01:48 AM
Adam, Your gun was made in Birmingham!At the time that the gun was made it was a practice in Birmingham to stamp the proof marks[pre1904 black powder] on the barrels, rather than on the barrel flats when a gun was destined to be export.
Golcher was partnered with Clabrough ,they traded under the name ,Clabrough, Golcher & Co. Partnership established in 1882. Books by Lawrence P Shelton detail this relationship.
Clabrough had a significant firearms manufacturing plant in Birmingham, and major warehouse/store in San Francisco, unfortunately destroyed in the 1906 earth quake.
Your gun is pictured as a Golcher gun in the 1890 Clabrough @ Golcher catalogue, the price was $35 .by comparison their best side lock ejector was priced gun at $200
Posted By: PeteM Re: American Hammer Gun by G.W. Golcher - 12/19/16 06:07 PM
Adam, anything by GW Golcher is rare. He was an early gunsmith. I have detailed all my research on the family and made it available to everyone here.
http://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=198398&page=2

The gun it self does not command great value.

Pete
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