Thats a really neat piece of family history to pass down. +1 for taking it out and shooting it insted of it collecting dust. ;D
Damascus Barrels & Black Powder
3
Folks:
Just thought I share a really positive experience I've had recently with a family hierloom 12 gauge SxS.
From 1906 until 1970, a W. Richards 12 gauge SxS shotgun purchased by my German immigrant great-grandparents hung in the creamery of their homestead in NE Iowa. It was left loaded on pegs on the wall over the door, and accounted for uncounted chicken-killing foxes, 'possums, hawks (before that was illlegal), and other varmints. Occasionally great-grandpa or one of my great-uncles would clean it, reload it, and hang it back up, ready for any emergency.
Great-uncle Gerald had to sell the farm in 1970 due to diabetes; when he died a few years later, the shotgun came to me by default. It took a toothbrush and nearly a full bottle of Hoppe's No. 9, and quite a few passes through the bores with bronze brushes, but what I found underneath the surface rust and dust/oil gunk was a perfectly sound shotgun with perfect barrel/receiver lockup, absolutely functional hammer lockwork, triggers, and good but slightly pitted bores. The stamped engraving work is perfectly visible, as is the serial number and the words 'London Fine Twist' (this last on the rib between the barrels). Clearly these are twist-steel barrels, and I simply wasn't going to risk this family heirloom with modern cartridges, so the cleaned shotgun was put away to be brought out only for maintenance cleaning and display.
Enter Cowboy Action Shooting. Suddenly, there were black powder shotgun cartidges available at nearly any gunstore; I finally gave in to temptation and bought a box of Goex shells, a light load of 7.5 shot.
It's hard to describe the pleasure of letting the old Richards speak for the first time in nearly a half-century! Recoil was very light, and clay pigeons broke with nearly as much smoke as that which puffed out of the shotgun's muzzles! The first box of cartridges didn't nearly long enough. . .the Richards now goes out pretty regularly and gets folks' attention every time I take it to the line or out of the truck.
Here it is. . .
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Just thought I share a really positive experience I've had recently with a family hierloom 12 gauge SxS.
From 1906 until 1970, a W. Richards 12 gauge SxS shotgun purchased by my German immigrant great-grandparents hung in the creamery of their homestead in NE Iowa. It was left loaded on pegs on the wall over the door, and accounted for uncounted chicken-killing foxes, 'possums, hawks (before that was illlegal), and other varmints. Occasionally great-grandpa or one of my great-uncles would clean it, reload it, and hang it back up, ready for any emergency.
Great-uncle Gerald had to sell the farm in 1970 due to diabetes; when he died a few years later, the shotgun came to me by default. It took a toothbrush and nearly a full bottle of Hoppe's No. 9, and quite a few passes through the bores with bronze brushes, but what I found underneath the surface rust and dust/oil gunk was a perfectly sound shotgun with perfect barrel/receiver lockup, absolutely functional hammer lockwork, triggers, and good but slightly pitted bores. The stamped engraving work is perfectly visible, as is the serial number and the words 'London Fine Twist' (this last on the rib between the barrels). Clearly these are twist-steel barrels, and I simply wasn't going to risk this family heirloom with modern cartridges, so the cleaned shotgun was put away to be brought out only for maintenance cleaning and display.
Enter Cowboy Action Shooting. Suddenly, there were black powder shotgun cartidges available at nearly any gunstore; I finally gave in to temptation and bought a box of Goex shells, a light load of 7.5 shot.
It's hard to describe the pleasure of letting the old Richards speak for the first time in nearly a half-century! Recoil was very light, and clay pigeons broke with nearly as much smoke as that which puffed out of the shotgun's muzzles! The first box of cartridges didn't nearly long enough. . .the Richards now goes out pretty regularly and gets folks' attention every time I take it to the line or out of the truck.
Here it is. . .
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Thanks for the info - it is indeed made in Belgium. I suspect Grandpa Wolters didn't spend 3 cents more than he had to for a shotgun 
!
!
They are both good for what 'ales' you. . .
Heheheh.biku324 said:They are both good for what 'ales' you. . .
Yep, Mike. You know, biku324...I'm thinking you should drink a belgian ale, then shoot the empty beer bottle with your Grandpa's shotgun while eating Belgian chocolate, and see if anything interesting happens. Although...maybe you should drink the ale a couple hours before you introduce firearms into the mix. Hmm. But then it wouldn't be the same. Conundrum.
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