doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Questions About an Old Double Gun

I measured from the breach to where the rifling begins.
I guess I need a gunsmith to accurately measure the chamber length, because I am just guessing.

Craig, if you can state your location someone here can suggest a proper gunmaker or gunsmith for an evaluation.

I�m afraid you have bought a money pit, Craig. That gun has a lot of problems that will require a real professional gunsmith to make right, if it is possible. The broken lug and the missing hammer are easily $500 of work done properly, maybe more. Looks off face based on the gap around the doll�s head. Also, the extractor looks awfully rough. I cannot imagine the condition of the bores.
JR

I am in Tampa, Florida

For the small amount we paid for the gun, there will be no money pit as our son loves the look of the gun and will be satisfied just to display it on the wall if making it operable is cost prohibitive.
Probably don't know what I am seeing, but I don't see the lug being broken.

The gun is what's commonly referred to as a "JABC" aka just another Belgium clunker. I prefer to call them Cracker Barrel guns aka wall hanger.

Bore in mm over muzzle dimension was used after 1910 but the gun is likely pre-WWI
The bore is .665" and choke .638" = .027" constriction or light full.
The shotgun chamber is very likely to be 2 9/16"
The shotgun barrel is Twist; the rifle barrel appears to be fluid steel.
If the shotgun barrel is pitted, I would suggest not using the gun with any load. Only a smith with the interest, equipment and expertise to do so (with careful attention to wall thickness) can determine the safety of the barrel.
I do not see a maker's mark on the barrels, but there might be one on the action.

External clean up suggestions are here under "Maintenance and Restoration"
https://lcsca.clubexpress.com/content.aspx?page_id=274&club_id=43784

https://www.dixiegunworks.com/index/page/category/category_id/365/name/Hammers?view_all

or

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R4...;LH_TitleDesc=0

https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/763/1/LOCK-LR-800

Not that these will fit but you can see there are avenues for upgrade without great expense.

Again, a thorough examination is needed before any attempt to fire.

More fun reading

http://www.shotguns.se/html/belgium.html


Mike

With regard to the rifle, nominal caliber can only be precisely identified with a chamber cast ( and "slugging" the barrel) as suggested by Raimey. There was a 9.3x82R mm, but not as common as the 9.3x72R, both of which were mostly found in German rifles. The 9.3x57R ( 360 2 1/4 " British) was a common caliber in Belgian guns also. To complicate matters more, 9.3mm might be the bore(not groove or bullet) diameter for a nominal .375" or 9.5mm caliber. I agree with skeettx that the gun can likely be made to function w/o great expense. Low pressure 16 ga 2 1/2 shells are available ; or a "Little Skeeter" type chamber insert in 20-28 ga or .410 bore can be used if you are afraid of the barrel. A "hands on" examination is required.
Mike

Thanks for all the awesome replies. All of you have given us a great "jump start" on exploring exactly what we have with this gun.
We will find a local gunsmith with enough experience to help us find out exactly what we have and whether it is worth fixing. Some local gunshops have given us good leads on competent area gunsmiths.