Moptop
Member
I bought a really nice Royal Gun works (Pieper) open hammer SxS 12ga shotgun at the St. Louis gun show this past weekend. The stock is in very good shape with no cracks or splits. Gave next to nothing for it. It was made late 1800's to early 1900's. On the barrel it says " Compressed Steel". Is this the same as a "fluid Steel" barrel? I know it's not a Damascus twist barrel, it doesn't have the typical twisting or chain pattern to it. I've read about the Joseph Whitworth barrels and was wanting to make sure that this was the same thing.
It also has some lines engraved all the way around the barrel about 2 1/2" from the breach end. Is that to show how long the chamber is and how long of a shell it uses?
The reason for the dumb questions is I would like to shoot this gun provided it does have a modern type barrel. Of course, I would only use the CORRECT size (2" or 2 1/2" vs 2 3/4") shells and ones loaded to low pressure specs as not to blow it and myself up. I know this gun was made for the holy black and I do know you have to be very carefull about what you use in it. I've tried my best to decifer all of the proof marks on the botton of the barrel trying to figure if it was proofed for smokeless. As best I can tell, this one was not. It's looks like it's got every symbol known to man on it but it doesn't has the "lion over the PV" proof mark. Although I am an experienced shooter and reloader of handguns and rifles, both modern and BP'ers, I have never gotten into reloading shotshells so I treading into unknown lands here.
If anyone can shed so light on this I would be greatly appreciative!
Oh, and yes it did happen...pictures!!!
It also has some lines engraved all the way around the barrel about 2 1/2" from the breach end. Is that to show how long the chamber is and how long of a shell it uses?
The reason for the dumb questions is I would like to shoot this gun provided it does have a modern type barrel. Of course, I would only use the CORRECT size (2" or 2 1/2" vs 2 3/4") shells and ones loaded to low pressure specs as not to blow it and myself up. I know this gun was made for the holy black and I do know you have to be very carefull about what you use in it. I've tried my best to decifer all of the proof marks on the botton of the barrel trying to figure if it was proofed for smokeless. As best I can tell, this one was not. It's looks like it's got every symbol known to man on it but it doesn't has the "lion over the PV" proof mark. Although I am an experienced shooter and reloader of handguns and rifles, both modern and BP'ers, I have never gotten into reloading shotshells so I treading into unknown lands here.
If anyone can shed so light on this I would be greatly appreciative!
Oh, and yes it did happen...pictures!!!
