Need help with an old shotgun

[bambibuster25-06]

I have got an old shotgun. It appears to be about a 12 gadge. It has outside hammers but is not a flintlock. On the rib in between the side-by-side barrels (written in gold wire) is "HIGNY & TUSHAUS BREVTES A LIEGE". The stock (at one time) appears to have been of a fancy grade. The barrels are not of the damascus type. I have pictures, and have included one. But I have more, closer up if needed.

[NVcurmudgeon]

bambi, welcome to the board. I am far from an expert. "Brevetes A Liege" means patented in Liege, Belgum. I don't see an underlever or top lever, and it appears to have had a ramrod at one time, so it must be a muzzleloader. Are there any other marks? Under the barrels? We are near neighbors.

[bambibuster25-06]

Hey NVcurmudgeon,
We are pretty near neighbors! Yes, it is a muzzleloader. Percussion type. The ramrod is missing. No other marking that I have found, just what is on the rib between the barrels. The stock was (is) real fancy with nice grain and the metal work was (is) very well done, telling me that is not a military type firearm. And since it does not have damascus barrels, I'm guessing that it was made in the middle to late 1800's. I afraid to do much cleaning on it as I might wreck any collectors value. And it is not a "shooter" any more. The barrels appear to be very thin walled. Blackpowder gun only. Here are a couple of more pictures of it.

[NVcurmudgeon]

Nice looking gun. You can probably make a replica ramrod from a dowel and have an elegant wallhanger.

[Buckshot]

............Damascus or twist steel barrels were made past 1900 as many customers felt they were a sign of high class workmanship. And well done damascus WAS a high class addition. I don't know where to tell you to start looking, but I'm sure that there is info somewhere on the net about the makers of your shotgun.

.....................Buckshot

[KCSO]

Don't be so sure it isn't a twist barrel. Sometimes as they age they take on a uniform brown and you need to go under the fore stock, polish off a small spot and rub on some cold blue to bring out the twist. If it is NOT a twist barrel it will be a cheaper gun as twist was the more expensive. Before the age of high grade steel lap welded or bored barrels could contain inclusions of slag and were not as strong as a well made twist barrel. The process of welding the twist hammered out the slag. If the barrels are not pitted and the breech is solid it will still shoot and I shoot an old English double quite often. These doubles were made from about 1850 right up to 1900 or so and the 1894 Monkey Wards shows a good selection of muzzleloading doubles still for sale at about 1/2 the cost of a breech loader. If you can find a copy of "Arms of the World 1911" a reprint of the Alpha catalog of Germany you will probably find your gun there as they still listed these.