OT: Muzzleloading shotgun

[bigbore442001]

I took out my Dad's old muzzleloading double and cleaned it up. He bought the gun when he was a young man for hare hunting and used it a few times in the field. I would appreciate if anyone here could give me some information on it.

It is a Scholefield 16 guage double barreled percussion shotgun with the words "London Fine Twist" stamped on the rib between the barrels. The barrels are 30 1/2 " long. There are proof marks on the bottom. On each barrel you have what looks like a crown on top of a letter R . On one barrel the letters BW&S are stamped and the other has JS and FH stamped on the barrel. Both barrels have some sort of stamp that looks like crossed swords. Now this gun needs both hammers,a trigger guard screw and the tenon plates where the wedge goes to keep the stock on. It does not have the original ramrod. My Dad made one out of steel rod with a brass rammer.

I did some searching and found that there was a gunmaker out of Birmingham England named William Scholefield but I could not find anything more.

I'd like to know what it may be worth and maybe sell or trade it for something else. Any replies will be welcomed.

[Nath]

Sorry I can't help but I just saw Muzzleloading shotgun and started slobbering

Nath.

[Nate Kiowa Jones]

I took out my Dad's old muzzleloading double and cleaned it up. He bought the gun when he was a young man for hare hunting and used it a few times in the field. I would appreciate if anyone here could give me some information on it.

It is a Scholefield 16 guage double barreled percussion shotgun with the words "London Fine Twist" stamped on the rib between the barrels. The barrels are 30 1/2 " long. There are proof marks on the bottom. On each barrel you have what looks like a crown on top of a letter R . On one barrel the letters BW&S are stamped and the other has JS and FH stamped on the barrel. Both barrels have some sort of stamp that looks like crossed swords. Now this gun needs both hammers,a trigger guard screw and the tenon plates where the wedge goes to keep the stock on. It does not have the original ramrod. My Dad made one out of steel rod with a brass rammer.

I did some searching and found that there was a gunmaker out of Birmingham England named William Scholefield but I could not find anything more.

I'd like to know what it may be worth and maybe sell or trade it for something else. Any replies will be welcomed.

Does that crown on top of a letter R look like the one here? (upper right)



If it does then it's a Belgian made/proofed long gun. The Belgians were notorious for knocking off Fine English names and even mark them"London Fine Twist" or "Fine English twist". Here is a good example.



This is a W. Richards not a Wesley richards SXS. The difference is about $10.000

Most of the trade guns or guild guns that were made for various hardware stores in the late 1800's to early 1900's were Belgian made. These were called trade guns or guild guns because the apprentice gunsmiths were used to make these guns.

Now if that proof mark looks more like the one below. (upper right) you may have an Englich made gun.


As you can see, the belgians even knocked off the proof marks sorta.

[bigbore442001]

It looks like the Birmingham proof mark. Hmm. Interesting.

[Nate Kiowa Jones]

It looks like the Birmingham proof mark. Hmm. Interesting.

I don't recognize the Scholefield name but if it has the Biringham markings it could be worth restoring. I had a local feller bring in a Jeffrey's SXS, a lesser known British maker but the it turned out to be the even lesser known brother who actually made the gun. Even still, If the gun had been 80% or better it would be worth about $1000 but it would have taken about $2000 or more in work to get this one to that point.
Point is you just never know until you do the research.

[20cows]

Twist steel? My daddy always told me those made good wall hangers! I know some folks say they are ok with black powder (that's what they were made for), but over 100 years down the road and Dad's warning in my ear would make me a bit nervous every time I pulled a trigger on one.

[bigbore442001]

I am not sure if I would want to restore it. I am not sure if it would be worth it but then again it is just sitting there in it's present state. It may be worthwhile to get some hammers on it and see if someone would buy it as a project.