Fowling Piece?

[theotherwaldo]

I'm looking real hard at buying an old Belgian single-barreled fowling piece. It's a regular Jed Clampett special from about 1890 with a hammer-type back-action, octagon-to-round barrel, .60 bore, and a fairly nice stock. (The same gun is advertised in the 1897 Sears-Roebuck catalog for $4.95) The seller is throwing in a possibles bag loaded up with a powder flask, lead balls, a capper, and other small items.

All for $155.00.

Should I grab it?

 

[pohill]

Belgian guns are well made. Is it a shooter?

 

[mykeal]

Have you examined it in person? What is the condition of the barrel?

 

[Pete D.]

fowler

Belgian guns are well made.

Some Belgian guns were well made. Some were junk.
pete

 

[pohill]

Yep, some were/are junk, but I approach buying an antique gun in a positive way. It goes like this; Belgian guns are well made but some will be junk. That way, I walk past the bad ones and buy the good ones. The same thinking can be applied to a Pietta; Pietta guns are well made but some will be junk. If I looked at it the other way, that Pietta (or Belgian) guns are junk, I'd never look at any of either.
I have a few antique Belgian guns, and for their age, they're in great shape. I just like Belgian guns.

 

[theotherwaldo]

This one looks reasonably well made. The barrel has the usual slight pockmarks around the nipple. The stock has a couple of slightly crispy oil spots at the edge of the action. Nothing disabling.

My expectations aren't all that high. If it isn't a great shooter then it becomes my first wall-hanger.

 

[JNewell]

There were a lot of these that became known as the "Belgian bombs" for reasons that are obvious. Whether this one is one of those is impossible to say from the other side of an internet connection.

 

[theotherwaldo]

Thanks to you, my support group, I managed to resist temptation. Yep, I passed on the fowler.

This one was just too close to the edge. Some day I would just have to load it up and drop the hammer... and hear that earth-shattering kaboom!

 

[Palehorseman]

The Belgians had very high proof testing standards for black powder arms.