Posted by David W on June 24, 2008, 9:35 pm, in reply to "garage sale project"
Paul, Great find. Your gun is a Quality 2 not a Trap Grade. If you could describe or show a picture of where the barrel lug comes through the receiver, it would help date this gun. If the rectangular lug is squared then it is a Syracuse Gun from 1887. If this is the case it is either a 10 ga or 12 ga. with 30" or 32" barrels because that is all they made in Syracuse. Your butt plate is the style they used then, Trap shooting was coming into it's own then with some great shots that used L.C. Smith guns. Your serial number doesn't show up on the Fulton era guns. If the lug is rounded on the one end then it's possibly an early Fulton gun and the serial numbers are lost for this time period.
The barrels should be a good quality Damascus, possible Chain, but I can't make out the design. Re-checkering it would be a good thing since you have gone this far. I would also find a dark walnut stain to match the old patina. As for a finish Dr. Bill knows how to finish a stock. I myself might rub 20 or so coats of tung oil on it, or a concoction of linseed oil, tung oil, spar varnish, japan drier, and mineral spirits, and give that 15 coats rubbed in, or French Polish, instant gratification (hour +). Whatever finish you use stay away from the checkering and use a toothbrush to do this area or re-cut the checkering after finish.