I sent a query to Cal Pappas in Alaska, who probably has handled as many big-bore SxS rifles from the late 1800's as anybody. He wrote that he has never seen a gas-check on a big bore SxS rifle.
So, until we hear otherwise, this is one more way to identify SxS's that have have been converted to shotguns from rifles after the arrival of the Scott Gas-Check patent. I.e. if a SxS shotgun looks like it might have been a rifle, and has no gas-check, it likely was indeed originally a rifle.
Now the question - Why were big bore rifle cartridges less corrosive than shotgun shells? Was it the number of rounds one cycled through the guns?
Last edited by Argo44; 04/29/21 10:13 PM.
