need id help on old 16g? SS bolt shotgun

[Soundguy]

found an old 16ga (i think) shotgun at a gunshow today.

a guy i know from the shows took it in on trade.. seller knew little about it except it had been in his deceased dads collection.. guy at the show did a lil looking and couldn't find any info.

it has what looks like a smaller perhaps english stock. rcvr is hex, bbl is round. is single shot and bolt aftin. safety piece is on rear of bolt and is a big flip nothc lever like some military arms.


has cartouches and proofs ALL over it. I mean.. a crazy amount of proofs all over it.

many parts sport a '55' a few parts sport a 4 digit number.. all the bolt parts have the same 4 digit #.. I think I found a different 4 digit # on it somewhere.

stamped inthe side of the rcvr in slightly irregular spaced stamps is the neame F SMITH perhaps a former owners name.

bbl is long.. 32 or 36" by estination.. like a goose gun.

didn't have time for pics before work but will get some.

has a swivel on the underside of the bbl midway up.

i kow that untill i get some pics that id is virtually impossible.. just seeing if this rings a bell with anybody.

thanks

pics will follow tonight after work

 

[bullbreaker]

It will be neat to see the pic(s) of it. I know theres a LC Smith that made shotguns but don't know if they ever made a 16 G.
I do think that back in the day JC Higgins/Savage/Sears(?)/Mossberg/Remmy and Stevens made 16 G's but I think you would have been able to ID it(see manu name on it). Of course there has to be others that manu'ed them. Just wanted to toss some names at Ya.

Boone

 

[Soundguy]

i have some old stevens/savage guns ( sears, western auto.. etc. ) and this gun appears to greatly PRE_date those.

 

[bcp]

A lot of proof marks usually indicates it is from a European country. Some stamped proof marks at every stage of construction.

We await photos.

For comparison:

http://www.gunauction.com/buy/94579...tion-single-shot-shotgun-c-and-r-ok-no-reserv

Bruce

 

[Soundguy]

overseas was my thought as well. stock deffinately is minimalistic.. deffinately european looking. i've seen a small stocked spanis and british gun or two that reminded me of them.

and let me tell you.

proofs all over it.

i bet if I removed some furniture I'd find more..

 

[Bigfoot62]

I agree, sounds like it's probably European, but not sure. Could be American made, but sold in Europe.

A quick search on gunbroker turned up the following:

Mossberg made a bunch of bolt action shotguns, like this: Mossberg : Single Shot Shotguns at GunBroker.com
But, from your description, I presume it's not close to the Mossy.

Does it look anything like this: German Geha 12ga Shotgun : Single Shot Shotguns at GunBroker.com

Winchester also made a few bolt actions: Winchester model 41 .410, bolt action, single shot : Single Shot Shotguns at GunBroker.com

 

[Soundguy]

just got home and got some pics

for reference, overall length of gun is 46.5" from butt to muzzle.

i included a pic with a sks for size reference.. plus may have one with a yard stick in there.

 

[bcp]

Looks like a conversion of an 1871 Mauser rifle.

Mauser Model 1871

http://www.militaryrifles.com/germany/71Mauser.htm

It would have all the original proof marks, and a whole new set when converted to a shotgun.

Bruce

 

[Soundguy]

hey, that's looking pretty close.

bolt was turned down obviously.

doesn't look like any grinding done on the rcvr.. but there are no dates or the 'model 71' present.

wonder if it was a blank rcvr?

 

[Soundguy]

looking at some auction sites.. i think the bolt for this one.. or perhaps the entire action came from a uraguain model. I say one with a similar (same) turned down bolt handle.

very interesting.

anyone else seen something like this.

conversion was nicely done by whoever did it. .. looks to be a vintage conversion.. not something new.

patina is even over the entire metal surface.