**Update** After 25 years I finally dug a gun!! ;-)

[MonkeyBoy]

I can't even begin to guess the number of iron pipes I have dug thinking they were barrels.. well.. after 25 years I finally dug one!! Not exactly what I hoped for but hey... I'll take it!!! I've been going back and hunting old sites with the V3 and found this along an old stack stone wall.. made my day!! It is 35" minus the missing stock..

Any ideas as to make and model?? I know it's not that old but hey.. it's counts!!!

MB

Ok.. after a day of soaking.. it is a COLUMBIA SINGLE SHOT 12 GA. SHOT GUN. DAMASCUS BARREL, BLACK POWDER ONLY. I can read the "Columbia".. still pretty crusty so I'll give it a week or so.. appears to be 1890ish maybe a little later.


**UPDATE**

After the first cleaning..

 

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[MonkeyBoy]

Re: After 25 years I finally dug a gun!! ;-)

awesome. definately not winchester, maybe hopkins and allen, possibly iver johnson, but back in the day there were dozens of similar looking guns with a myriad of markers markings, probably most made by 1 or 2 companies on contract for others. Most makers marks were pretty shallow so if it's pitted to any depth you probably won't find one. Makers markings would most likely be in the middle left side of the receiver. The top of the barrel in the breech area would normally read the gauge followed by choke (12 ga CHOKE, choke meant full choke) occasionally followed by chamber length or in the case of some iver johnsons, "barrel and lug forged in one" or some such. Good luck finding the makers marks, would be interesting to hear if there are any that are readable.

I was wondering about the guage.. it is a large barrel!! Hopefully I'll a maker's mark!

Mark

 

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[MonkeyBoy]

Re: After 25 years I finally dug a gun!! ;-)

Mark, I know exactly what you mean, those countless pipes and endless holes dug to get to them only to be let down by a pipe........Fantastic Find buddy!! Congratulations

I know!!!! Now every pipe I dig I be thinking "gun" forever!!!! ;-)

Mark

 

[JimDon]

Re: After 25 years I finally dug a gun!! ;-)

Nice find. It took you 25 years for a gun...funny...my very first find with my MXT was a gun.

 

[DMN]

Re: After 25 years I finally dug a gun!! ;-)

I can't even begin to guess the number of iron pipes I have dug thinking they were barrels.. well.. after 25 years I finally dug one!! Not exactly what I hoped for but hey... I'll take it!!! I've been going back and hunting old sites with the V3 and found this along an old stack stone wall.. made my day!! It is 35" minus the missing stock..

Any ideas as to make and model?? I know it's not that old but hey.. it's counts!!!

MB

I'm pretty --deleted-- about guns, shotguns notwithstanding, but would there be any maker's marks on it? I bet after a nice cleaning you may find some and then you'd know for sure. Of course, once cleaned you could get a decent facsimile stock and hang it on your wall. That would be some conversation piece and decoration! Great find!

I'll have to soak it for a week to get the rust off.. hoping for a maker's mark somewhere on it.. I have already been looking for the same model.. hang a good one and the dug one together. ;-)

MB

Heheheh, didn't realize I couldn't use that word, especially about myself. Can't wait to see the results of the cleaning process. Keep this posting fresh!

 

[MonkeyBoy]

Re: After 25 years I finally dug a gun!! ;-)

Nice find. It took you 25 years for a gun...funny...my very first find with my MXT was a gun.

Hm..my very first find with a White's 5900 was a US Buckle!!! ;-) I just had to say it!!

 

[allen]

Re: After 25 years I finally dug a gun!! ;-)

neat find for sure !!!

 

[MonkeyBoy]

Not sure how many people have tried this but I have been soaking the shotgun in vinegar and it is really doing a great job loosening up the rust. Pitdiggers turned me on this this method.. usually I use electrolysis to clean my iron but I think I'll be using this method from now on.. I'll post picture showing the progress.

MB

 

[Marinehunter]

Way to go Marine nice find

Semper fi

 

[Ifoundit69]

Looks like a 1900 STAR BRAND 12 GAUGE SHOTGUN LIKE MINE

 

[Threshold]

Awesome find... Murder weapon!! Jk

 

[MonkeyBoy]

Looks like a 1900 STAR BRAND 12 GAUGE SHOTGUN LIKE MINE

Looks like about 20 different makers made a version of this one!!

A partial list:
Variations of this name were used on single shot shotguns by several makers.
Columbia - W. H. Davenport Arms Co. 1891-1910
Columbia Arms Co - Trademark owned by Henry Keidel & Co. Baltimore, Md. 1866-1978
Columbia Ejector - W. H. Davenport Arms Co.
Columbia Single - Harrington & Richardson Arms Co 1872-1985
Columbia Single - W. H. Davenport Arms Co. (will have company name marked on upper and lower tangs)
Columbia Single - Hopkins & Allen Arms Co. 1868-1898

Waiting to see what else is under all the rust!!

MB