Any Exotic/Antique/Rare Gun Folks Out There?

[1369]

First off, let me apologize in advance for lack of pics (I'm currently working in Columbia SC and will be in Macon GA for the next few months on a project), but I've got an old firearm I was trying to get information on.

Years back, while working in Suriname my father took a shine to one of the local engineer's rifles he had in his collection. He wound up trading the gun for an Eagle Lake goose hunt and the rifle was, well, creatively liberated to the States over the next few months.Here's the deal, it's a .22 single shot, but the kicker is it's a "combination/drilling" gun of sorts. Where the conventional combination has two to four individual barrels firing different combinations of calibers (Shotgun/centerfire rifle), this one has three barrels drilled in one barrel blank. Story was during colonial times it was used to hunt monkeys in trees.Anyone what a variation of this would be called so I can do some research into it?

If it helps, the gun is of French manufacture, although I cannot recall the name.

[noelekal]

Very interesting. By colonial times you must mean French colonial times. It sounds as if it takes self-contained metallic cartridges. Would love to see detailed photos. Sounds like a drilling or some other combination gun.

[jkingrph]

Interesting, My oldest is a Swiss Vetterli cicra 1873. A bolt action repeater. It shot a rimfire cartridge 10.4mm (41 Swiss) and I have conveted it to centerfire and shoot it by making cases but cutting off and resizing .348 Win cases, and using a .429(44 cal) pistol bulet. In 1873 the United States, just coming off our civil war was still using muzzle loaders.

I also have an 1896/1911 Swiss Schmidt Rubin as well some later K-31's all straight pull bolt actions. My other antiques are Swedish Mausers, the oldest being an 1898 model, as well as a 1900 model, one of a small contract, made in Germany for the Swedes. THis one has a 2 digit serial number.

Shotguns, my oldest is a Parker GH made in 1911, old but essentially a modern sxs. Two others that are different are a Darne 28 ga and a Charlin 16 ga, both of French make, being again sxs double barrels but with a sliding breech mechanism instead of the traditional break open action. The Darne (pronounced darn) is what I think is one of two in that gauge in the country from limited reaserch. Neither is very common here, the Charlin less so than the Darne. I also have an old Swedish Lefacheaux action double.

[cb91710]

Oldest is a Colt 1903, serial number dates it at 1917.
Grandpa bought it shortly after WWI and mom gave it to me last February:

[SF1973]

Very nice pocket hammerless. You're lucky your grandfather had such good taste.

[AllenG]

First off, let me apologize in advance for lack of pics (I'm currently working in Columbia SC and will be in Macon GA for the next few months on a project), but I've got an old firearm I was trying to get information on.

Years back, while working in Suriname my father took a shine to one of the local engineer's rifles he had in his collection. He wound up trading the gun for an Eagle Lake goose hunt and the rifle was, well, creatively liberated to the States over the next few months.Here's the deal, it's a .22 single shot, but the kicker is it's a "combination/drilling" gun of sorts. Where the conventional combination has two to four individual barrels firing different combinations of calibers (Shotgun/centerfire rifle), this one has three barrels drilled in one barrel blank. Story was during colonial times it was used to hunt monkeys in trees.Anyone what a variation of this would be called so I can do some research into it?

If it helps, the gun is of French manufacture, although I cannot recall the name.

Take some images of the rifle and post them here: http://www.thehighroad.org/
Excellent forum for hunting down the pedigree of rare firearms.

I have a handfull of 19th century rifles and the folks on The High Road were of great help figuring out a few of them.

About an hour north of Madison there is a good antique firearm dealer in Loganville who also may be of help. http://antiquearmsinc.com/

[FiveOhNine]

Cool! I've got a Luger and a Belgian Browning A5 shotgun.

[1369]

Take some images of the rifle and post them here: http://www.thehighroad.org/
Excellent forum for hunting down the pedigree of rare firearms.

I have a handfull of 19th century rifles and the folks on The High Road were of great help figuring out a few of them.

About an hour north of Madison there is a good antique firearm dealer in Loganville who also may be of help. http://antiquearmsinc.com/

Thanks for the heads up! It'll be a while before I get off this project and get back home to get some pics.

That's also a nice .32 hammerless. I've got a later model of that one.

[kpeople]

Oldest is a Colt 1903, serial number dates it at 1917.
Grandpa bought it shortly after WWI and mom gave it to me last February:

I think its awesome how even nearly a century after it was made, Colts line up still looks very similair to this

[cb91710]

I think its awesome how even nearly a century after it was made, Colts line up still looks very similair to this

Simple.

JMB knew what he was doing.

[MrMurphy]

With most things, you are correct.


I have a few that are in the 'quite old' (WW1/WW2 era) range, and I've been lucky enough to handle or fire a lot of interesting stuff.

Working at a gunshop some years back, I was able to handle one of Hermann Goering's personal drillings (papered, verified, with photos, the guy who owned it was part of the unit who took Karinhall). The action was too loose to safely fire any more but it pointed like your finger and the balance was superb. Twin 16 ga and a 9.3mm rifle barrel.

[toovira]

If it's a shotgun/.22 drilling, you may have a chance at shotgunworld. Other than that, I don't know any drilling specialty site. Only other place that may know (but they may not help as you're not a paying customer) is Simpson LTD. Only few high-end shotgun brands (mainly English and German brands...Italians don't like them somehow) today still makes drilling - Kreighoff, Blaser, Holland & Holland, Mauser.

Other than that, I do have some unique M14 type. One of them is the first (and damn near that) M1A made by Springfield Armory (Elmer Ballance Devine built - none of that first 2500 S/N) made from cut-up re-welded Garand receiver to M14 dimension (only 44 in existence, before that 2500 Devine). The gun is in a book. Also have 300WSM M14 built by Bruce Dow (which only 18 were done and no more). Also a US Navy built M1A Supermatch (not the Springfield Armory that you would find)....it was built by US Navy Rifle Match Team.

[Samurai-5]

I have a British Short Lever 1876 Martini Henry & a British 1858 Snider. :)

[Ron991]

My Grandfather who served in the European theater with the First Division during WW1 carried this old Paramount Brunswig .32 cal Semi auto. He also carried the Au Lion 1918 trench dagger. As a souvenir he brought home this SIMSON SUHL MAUSER M1893/95 BAYONET. I don't know the age, and or the rareness of these pieces, but these have been in my family for a-lot of years.

[cb91710]

Sweet collection!

[Lesmore]

We have a Bristowe (made in England) black powder rifle. A gunsmith told me it was circa 1849 or so. Don't know anything about it...if someone could, that would be great.

[tinashubby]

First off, let me apologize in advance for lack of pics (I'm currently working in Columbia SC and will be in Macon GA for the next few months on a project), but I've got an old firearm I was trying to get information on.

Years back, while working in Suriname my father took a shine to one of the local engineer's rifles he had in his collection. He wound up trading the gun for an Eagle Lake goose hunt and the rifle was, well, creatively liberated to the States over the next few months.Here's the deal, it's a .22 single shot, but the kicker is it's a "combination/drilling" gun of sorts. Where the conventional combination has two to four individual barrels firing different combinations of calibers (Shotgun/centerfire rifle), this one has three barrels drilled in one barrel blank. Story was during colonial times it was used to hunt monkeys in trees.Anyone what a variation of this would be called so I can do some research into it?

If it helps, the gun is of French manufacture, although I cannot recall the name.

If you don't have a C&R license it may be pretty interesting opportunity for you. Only $30.00.

[Topgumby]

I think my oldest is a 1898 1894 Winchester saddle ring carbine.

[Eaglestroker]

My oldest is this original Colt Navy. Came from grandad and is a real prize.

[Lesmore]

I have a Bristowe black powder rifle. Believe it was made in England and ended up in Western Canada.

I had a gunsmith take a look at it many years ago and he dated it at around 1849. I don't know much about guns, wish someone could tell me more about the Bristowe.