Info appreciated on 16ga single shot Columbia

[Steel Hayes]

I enjoy antique firearms and stumbled on this for cheap,but have no idea(other than web snippets) what I have.
It’s a single shot Columbia in 16gauge with a 22” barrel, serial number 726.
Any information on it would be appreciated.

 

[Coyote3855]

I assume you have Googled "Columbia Shotgun." Those web snippets are all I could come up with. I did see that one sold at auction for $70. Do you think the barrel on yours has been cut down? Pictures aren't clear, but I don't see a front bead. I think a 22" barrel would have been unusual in the era this gun was manufactured.

 

[Steel Hayes]

I think a 22" barrel would have been unusual in the era this gun was manufactured.

My thoughts exactly, but if they cut it down, it was a really good job.
Strange part, the 2 3/4” shell doesn’t quite fit(really tight), I really don’t plan on shooting it.

 

[bersaguy]

May have a 2-9/16" chamber, which I believe was quite common on older 16 gauges

 

[Steel Hayes]

You are correct, a little more searching showed around 1926’ish shells came out in 2 3/4” Standard.
There is still some really nice nickel finish left, for $30, it’ll be a nice wall hanger.

 

[kudu]

A shell should still slide right in, the 2 9/16" is opened shell length. Brass shells that had no crimp petals would be fine. A standard 12 gauge shell new is slightly less that 2 3/8" in length, when it is fired it is 2 3/4".

 

[George P]

"Columbia" single barrel shotguns were made by the W.H. Davenport Arms Company, Harrington & Richardson Arms Company and the Hopkins & Allen Company.

The Columbia double barrel shotgun was made by Simonis, Janssen & Dumoulin who were Belgium gun makers from 1884 to 1905 were sold by Henry C. Squires (there is some discussion on the years but they only vary by a year or so)