Pennsylvania Firearm Owners Association
Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 27

Thread: 20 ga coach

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania
    (Cumberland County)
    Posts
    6,066
    Rep Power
    21474858

    Default 20 ga coach

    Novice to shotguns here but had a question, will try to use right terms - lol. I bouth a 20 ga 18 14" double barrel triggered shotgun today at gunshow. Seller says it is from 1896 andit looked novel and I was looking for a triggered shotgun. I had no idea what shells to buy so I just got some winchester
    2 3/4 8 shot. When I tried to put a couple shells in, the slipped right over the little double helf circle "ejector piece" i am guessing it is called, and seated right into the barrel, then you couldn' close the barrels down. If I carefully placed the shells on the ridge of the ejector, I coud get the barrel to close but obviously not right. When the sells are in the gun, there is play all around the shell. My question and I know it will be hard w/o seeing the gun, but could it just be wear on the ejectore, or could the gun be a 16 ga or something ? ( definitly not a 12 ga, and not sure if 16 ga was around 100 years ago ). Just a little baffled. The gun has no markings of guage, dealer says it is european, it has a hunting dog in brush on both sides on plates behind the triggers, a bird on each side, and in front of the bird what looks be a "sliced pie" like figure. Any thoughts ?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania
    (Cumberland County)
    Posts
    6,066
    Rep Power
    21474858

    Default Re: 20 ga coach

    ok, should have checked the spelling and grammer before hitting submit - lol. hopefully it still makes sense, and it's a 18 1/4" barrel on the shotgun I "bought" today and the shells "slipped" past the ejector and couldn't close.
    any thoughts however speculative would be appreciated

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania
    (Cumberland County)
    Posts
    6,066
    Rep Power
    21474858

    Default Re: 20 ga coach

    Last post, promise - thought I'd add some pictures showing the shotgun - any id would be appreciated, and they way the shell bypasses the ejector, and the play around the shell. Thanks again !
    Attached Images Attached Images

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Erie, Pennsylvania
    (Erie County)
    Age
    61
    Posts
    316
    Rep Power
    3618

    Default Re: 20 ga coach

    Looks to be a Belgian import double barrel shotgun. From the pictures you provided, it looks to be a 16 gauge. Make sure to examine the barrels closely, and see if they look "striped" in appearance, as this indicates a damascus rolled steel barrel (better yet, post a good picture of a chunk of the barrels). Look for roll marks on either the top or underside of the barrel that say either "fluid steel" or "fine twist steel".
    Last edited by Kiski Cowboy; February 27th, 2010 at 07:28 PM.
    "A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed."
    United States Constitution - 2nd Amendment

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania
    (Cumberland County)
    Posts
    6,066
    Rep Power
    21474858

    Default Re: 20 ga coach

    Quote Originally Posted by Kiski Cowboy View Post
    Looks to be a Belgian import double barrel shotgun. From the pictures you provided, it looks to be a 16 gauge. Make sure to examine the barrels closely, and see if they look "striped" in appearance, as this indicates a damascus rolled steel barrel (better yet, post a good picture of a chunk of the barrels). Look for roll marks on either the top or underside of the barrel that say either "fluid steel" or "fine twist steel".
    Thanks Kiski Cowboy, I am very anxious to get some info.. I'm a real novice with shotguns, but I swear this is a 16 ga, unless there are radically different sizes of 20 ga ! I am posting 3 more pics of the barrel to see if you can tell anything else. I can faintly make out a word on side of the barrel that looks like the word " triomphe" ? Thanks again - hopefully I can get some more info. - if posting a pic of stock helps, let me know
    Attached Images Attached Images

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Western, Pennsylvania
    Posts
    509
    Rep Power
    363197

    Default Re: 20 ga coach

    As Kiski Cowboy said, if the inside diameter of the barrels are striped in appearance, this would indicate they are damascus barrels. It would be unsafe to fire smokeless powder ammo, unless its loaded to black powder pressure level.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Brookville, Pennsylvania
    (Jefferson County)
    Age
    51
    Posts
    20,076
    Rep Power
    21474874

    Default Re: 20 ga coach

    I concur with Kiski Cowboy.. It does appear to be a Belgian shotty. Two give-aways are the grip and the word "triomphe", which is French, which is also what is spoken in Belgium.

    You might want to check the bore diameter. Those 20ga shells look kinda loose. Its possible it may be a 16ga, or even some mid-gauge like 17, 18, or 19. (yes, there were odd-ball gauge guns made) With it being a coachgun I doubt there is any choke/constriction so you may get an accurate gauging by measuring the bore diameter.

    The barrels dont appear to be damascus twist from the photos, but may still be mild steel. I wouldn't use anything more than mid-power/pressure shells once the gauge is absolutely determined. You might also want to measure the depth of the chamber. Some of those old guns were only 2-1/2" chambers, which a 2-3/4" shell will fit in with folded crimps. But once fired the crimp unfolds into the throat and forcing cone making an obstruction and a potential grenade. Just take a ruler or other straight object and place it down the chamber until you get to the edge of the throat, mark it, pull it out, then measure.
    RIP: SFN, 1861, twoeggsup, Lambo, jamesjo, JayBell, 32 Magnum, Pro2A, mrwildroot, dregan, Frenchy, Fragger, ungawa, Mtn Jack, Grapeshot, R.W.J., PennsyPlinker, Statkowski, Deanimator, roland, aubie515

    Don't end up in my signature!

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania
    (Cumberland County)
    Posts
    6,066
    Rep Power
    21474858

    Default Re: 20 ga coach

    Great info. everyone - keep it coming I just went out and bought a box of 16 ga and they seat perfectly ! I'm not sure if that's enough to say it's absolute, but they sure look it ! Tough to measure the inside of the barrel but it seems to be about 2 3/4 from end load point to the ribs/roughness in the barrel which I assume is as long a shell as it should take ? Man, I've got a lot to learn about shotguns, will have to start playing a bit more than I do with my auto's, revolvers and AR's Here's a few more shots, let me know if you can tell any more ! Thanks again All !
    Attached Images Attached Images

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Erie, Pennsylvania
    (Erie County)
    Age
    61
    Posts
    316
    Rep Power
    3618

    Default Re: 20 ga coach

    Somebody spent some bucks having a custom buttstock made for that, very nicely figured walnut in the last picture. From the pictures, it looks to be a steel barrel (could not spot any damascus lines when I enlarged the pics), however, due to it's age, I'd use only blackpowder shells, or low pressure smokeless shells in it. Nice find my friend.
    "A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed."
    United States Constitution - 2nd Amendment

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania
    (Cumberland County)
    Posts
    6,066
    Rep Power
    21474858

    Default Re: 20 ga coach

    Thanks again, so the $200 cash in hand and out the door I paid was decent I would think ? I bought some Winchester game load - don't think I should shoot them 'eh ? Where would be the best place to get the shells you suggest, any on line sites ? If it were yours, would you pay to have it re-blued or would you keep it original ? I thought the stock looked pretty sweet for a 100+ y.o. shotgun, and everything fits perfectly. Do you think they could possibly be original or do you think someone replaced originals ? I've said it before, but I appreciate all the info. !

Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast

Similar Threads

  1. Coach gun
    By Never_Enough in forum General
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: September 19th, 2009, 04:17 PM
  2. COACH GUN
    By Never_Enough in forum General
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: August 21st, 2009, 11:36 PM
  3. Coach gun
    By Never_Enough in forum General
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: August 1st, 2009, 04:26 AM
  4. 12g Coach gun
    By f15david in forum General
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: May 26th, 2009, 07:26 PM
  5. WTS: Stoeger 12 GA Coach Gun
    By BankerA in forum General
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: February 26th, 2007, 11:15 AM

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •