Bought a early to mid 1800's 2x2 12ga. last night.

Don’t shoot modern ammo in it. It’s so old and beautiful but the Damascus steel can’t take it. California has been warning us for decades about those.

Would an early to mid 1800's be a cartridge gun? I thought the shot-shell didn't appear until sometime around the early 1870's? Also not understanding "2X2"? Do you meant SXS? (side by side) As long as you can obtain real black powder, I'd not shoot substitutes in it either. Although they might produce similar pressures, the pressure curve will be different. Just my opinion. But with damascus steel I'd be extra extra careful and just shoot real black powder. I have a 12gauge Side by Side made around 1914, and it performs very well with black powder. I can think of no reason to use a substitute.

Or, as Justin Wilson called it, a “twice barreled carabine”

Oh man, that's what I want. !!! I love my breech loading hammer gun, use it often, sometimes even load the left barrel with a ball load for cougar and black bear within 50 yards when turkey hunting, but I'd really like a muzzle loading side by side. When JPIMBO said "don't shoot modern ammo in it", that led me to believe it was a breech-loader. My bad. If it's in good condition the damascus barrels are not as fragile as some would lead us to believe. But again, I sure would not put anything except real black powder in it.

woodnbow said:

Or, as Justin Wilson called it, a “twice barreled carabine”

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The number of people outside of Louisiana who know who Justin Wilson was is decreasing exponentially.

JPIMBO said:

Don’t shoot modern ammo in it. It’s so old and beautiful but the Damascus steel can’t take it. California has been warning us for decades about those.

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Modern "muzzleloading" ammo? Yes, black powder only.

One serious suggestion. Find someone with a bore scope and check the breech area. Many of these old timers have serious erosion at the breechplug/barrel interface and can let go even with black powder. I have one I hunted with for years and wondered why patches wanted to pull off at the bottom of the barrels. Found a scope, quit shooting it when I saw what the condition was. I have two more in the same condition. All three have nipples removed. I'd plug the holes but hate to mess up the look.
My black powder shotgunning now is with one of several I made or a Navy Arms "magnum" double.
Hope yours is solid.

As much as I'd like a BP/ML side-by-side, I'll have to stick with my Brown Bess "carbine" for now, unless someone "funds" me!!! Not a bad fate, she knocks down the turkeys and grouse and has provided many a Thanksgiving dinner. But I sure like double barrels, I hunted with my breech loading hammer gun (which was my great-grandfather's) from the time I was 16 until my mid-twenties, until I went to a Remington Model 11, which I won in a high card draw. By that time, being young, dumb, and ignorant, the hammer gun was getting pretty loose, having shot tons of modern shot-shells through it. About ten years ago I rebuilt it, made it tight, and now only shoot BP shells in it, and hunt with it often. Took a turkey with it last year. It also shoots round ball accurately, so when turkey or grouse hunting up North (Northeastern Washington State) I keep one barrel loaded with a ball in case I get an under-50 yard shot at a cougar or black bear.

My "dream" side-by-side" ML double barrel would be a 12gauge with the left barrel sleeved down to .58 or .62 caliber, and rifled for round ball.

If you are happy with it, i'm happy for you.

X62503 said:

The number of people outside of Louisiana who know who Justin Wilson was is decreasing exponentially.

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First, you make a roux.

swingmaster said:

First, you make a roux.

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First, and foremost, and it’s easier said than done!

swingmaster said:

First, you make a roux.

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“Just da least little bit!”

I first heard Justin on the radio many years ago (had to be from a recording?) and enjoyed every story... he told. Years later I believe he had a cooking show and I was able to catch an episode or two... Figure he's long gone by now - but if any of his material were available today I'd be a fan.... and yes, I'm past 70 now...

Jus add a leetle wiine, meybe a leelte 'mo, cayenne, crawdads. Now dat is good!
Loved "Justain" RIP.
Sorry off topic.
Looks to be a great shotgun, have a gunsmith certify it safe, and enjoy it.

So you gonna chop it and make a Howda out of it?
I'd recommend leaving the stock on it.

Go for that Baker Shotgun look:
https://www.gunbroker.com/item/883343177

"Kind of criminal"??? Now that's the understatement of the year. Of the century. Of the.....!!! If you are capable of inletting any kind of stock for a double, I have an old breech loading double that's in very good condition without a stock. I'll hire you to make one!!!

You know back in the last century Justin was one of the main reasons my household contributed to PBS as the local affiliate carried his cooking show. Some of my few successes in the kitchen were based on watching him cook.... or maybe I did not pay attention to complaints because I followed his advice for cooking with red wine "... and a little for the cook."

just looked on Youtube and they have some of the cooking show clips...just listened to a story about hunting Squirrel in the swamp. Gosh I miss his stories.

Personally I be done not gonna sawered off no damascus barrel as I think it might be more likely to unwind on me in use that way. But that may just be me.

See? I was listening to Just-een.

-kBob

X62503 said:

The number of people outside of Louisiana who know who Justin Wilson was is decreasing exponentially.

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Ah garroonnnnttee.


Ah! The days when pbs was fun.

If a real Purdy made piece it is far too valuable to shoot or flat stupid to cut down. Do the reseach and maybe contact a big auction house before taking any action. I bought an original 11 bore double and shot it extensively at ML trap matches. With the advent of the net i found it may be worth big bucks as it was made for an important person by same maker who made presentation pieces for US Grant, Sherman et al.

Knew a guy who was related to the famous Anse Hatfield and he called them a "double barreled shoot-twice"