Re: Trying to confirm year of manufacture
Posted by David W on November 24, 2008, 1:20 pm, in reply to "Trying to confirm year of manufacture"
68.37.32.162
Edward,
These numbers are in the "we don't know era" because there are no records.
In reading about Syracuse hammer guns, they were made from 1884-1888. Again in Brophy's book L.C. Smith Shotguns there is reference that in 1888 there was no production of any guns due to the sale of L.C. Smith Maker to John Hunter.
The breech balls on the Syracuse and very early Fulton guns are bigger than the later Fulton guns. The hammer type is listed as Type 1, higher in appearance to the later Fulton guns.
Again does your have the convex lump like I posted in the Nov. 20 post? I believe you never stated so.
Also the number two (2) would not mean anything, because your gun would be a Quality letter (F-AA) grade instead of a numerical grade, EXCEPT if these barrels were from a hammerless Quality 2 fitted to your receiver and done in Fulton with no address on barrels. These barrels would be Chain Damascus, look at this site for what Chain Damascus looks like (chains).
I'm sticking to late 1887 or very early 1889 Fulton with Syracuse left overs.
You are right, this is what makes it fun, now if I can just find out some information on a 12 ga 30" Damascus barrels with serial number 23,459. I don't have pictures clear enough to see the side plates or the barrels.
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