H.J. Sterling SXS shotgun

[wywindsor]

So here is the story. My wife of 21 years has a SXS shotgun made by H.J. Sterling. It was her dads gun given to him by ?. It has a game wardens badge on the hand base and an engraving of an elk on the bottom of the stock. The barrels say Damascus and the side plate says machine made. Any info. would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[elk hunter]

My reference book lists H.J. Sterling as "unknown history" and is a brand or maker that I'm not familiar with.

Pull the barrels and check the bottom of them and the frame for proof marks. Take clear pictures of any marks and post them. If you can't take clear pictures draw the marks at a larger scale. Proof marks will tell where and approximately when it was made. The most common country of origin of unknown brand shotguns is Belgium the second is England. Most of the unknown brand guns, but not all, were at best second quality or lower. If there are no proof marks it is almost certainly made in America but they are uncommon and generally better quality guns. Most Damascus barreled breech-loading shotguns were made between 1870 and the early 1920's.