20 ga coach

[Lone Wolf]

I dont know any specific websites offhand, but there are shells loaded to black powder pressure level (either with actual black powder or smokless loaded to black pressure) out there. Theyre mostly used by the cowboy action shooting crod.

[Feddog82]

Do not get it reblued!!! I would not at least. Keep this shotgun as it came. It looks to be "browned" metal to me. It looks great the way it is.

Also, you can buy 16GA shotshells made of brass from magtech and make your own blackpowder shells without any major reloading tools. IT is quite simple. Seach the net for "Blackpowder shotgun reloading" and there is a ton of info.

[cruzans]

Do not get it reblued!!! I would not at least. Keep this shotgun as it came. It looks to be "browned" metal to me. It looks great the way it is.

Also, you can buy 16GA shotshells made of brass from magtech and make your own blackpowder shells without any major reloading tools. IT is quite simple. Seach the net for "Blackpowder shotgun reloading" and there is a ton of info.

Great info., thanks ! Load my own, hmmmm, might have to give that a try - have never done any reloading, but if you say no special equipment needed, may try it.
In the meantime, if anyone as any of these 16ga low pressure or blackpowder they want to sell - let me know

[knight0334]

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. !

I agree with Feddog above, do not blue it. Never ever (re)blue or refinish an old gun. You will destroy any value it may have. It already is effectively "blued", actually "browned" in patina. That natural browning, or possible original browning, is basically the same thing as bluing for protection.

[cruzans]

finally got brave and tried to figure out how to get wood grip on barrel off. I played and it just kinda popped off, thought I broke it at first - lol. Under the wood stock ( and the underside of the wood looks just like the rear stock, so maybe the lighter color on the outside is just some kind of wear - good news for me because I was hoping it matched ). On the barrel are a few numbers and initials - dig deep guys, any clues
Looks to be the initials LB inside a circle, the number 19 I believe in paranthesis, the number 170 on each side with some squiggly marks in front of them and the number 2609, then farther down the barrel the number 122784. Man, that's a lot of numbers under that wood, wonder what they all mean !
I've been trying to read the writing on the top of the barrels. There are 6 rows of wave like lines from front to back of the barrel , and close to the break, is that long "signature" or something in an opening in the waves. All I can make out i think, is the last word "Liege" in script, then a break before it, and maybe an A, then another word or two before it.
Thanks again all -
Steve

[cruzans]

Ok, sorry, but i'm like a kid in a candy store. I tugged a little and got the barrel off, and on the metal of the stock is the same 122784 - so it is original stock and barrel - yeah ! More markings, this thing has more tattoos than the bearded lady at the circus ! On the metal of stock there is a 1 R then another marking that I can't even describe, kinda like a key figure with some mark at the end of the key ???? And then on the barrels themselves at the very end near the opening for the shell on bottom, is a "pineaple" shaped circle with a crown on top of it with what looks to be and E on top of LG on top of a star/asterix then another circle on each barrel with a number inside that looks like 16-55. I rechecked the LB in the circle on the barrel to see if it actually was an LG like inside this crown circle, but I swear it is LB on the barrel. Phew

[cruzans]

Found some cool stuff on this website : https://bluebookinc.com/Info/PDF/Firearm/Proofmarks.pdf

The word Liege I found on the barrels is actually the Belgian proof house - so you guys were right, it is Belgian ! Some of the markings I described are shown on this site exactly ! The pineapple shaped circle with a crown on top is circa "since 1893" and tpye of proof is "definitive black powder proof for breech loading guns, small bore guns and handguns".
The key shape thing is circa "since 1853" and is a "view stamp and inspectors mark for firearms "perron" - whatever that means.
One of the squiggly marks looks like a fancy EL mark - on the site it says circa "since 1852" and is provisional black powder proof for breech loading guns and rifled barrrels ( not sure on this marking, but the others are 100% the same ! ).
I wonder why so many proof marks ? I assume the reference to black powder means I shouldn't shoot any regular shells ? Wish I could find someone that has black powder shells I could buy !

[normanvin]

Found some cool stuff on this website : https://bluebookinc.com/Info/PDF/Firearm/Proofmarks.pdf

The word Liege I found on the barrels is actually the Belgian proof house - so you guys were right, it is Belgian ! Some of the markings I described are shown on this site exactly ! The pineapple shaped circle with a crown on top is circa "since 1893" and tpye of proof is "definitive black powder proof for breech loading guns, small bore guns and handguns".
The key shape thing is circa "since 1853" and is a "view stamp and inspectors mark for firearms "perron" - whatever that means.
One of the squiggly marks looks like a fancy EL mark - on the site it says circa "since 1852" and is provisional black powder proof for breech loading guns and rifled barrrels ( not sure on this marking, but the others are 100% the same ! ).
I wonder why so many proof marks ? I assume the reference to black powder means I shouldn't shoot any regular shells ? Wish I could find someone that has black powder shells I could buy !

I am not sure but I believe that the guns wee periodically tested over the life of the fire arm. I do not remember where I heard that.

I would bet that you can find some loaded shells on the net somewhere.

[cruzans]

bummed, i've pretty much exhausted all options and have found that no one loads black powder 16 gauge in the country !! not ready to start loading myself, so i guess unless i can find someone to load them for me, i'm s... out of luck ! was looking forward to taking this puppy out too

[knight0334]

bummed, i've pretty much exhausted all options and have found that no one loads black powder 16 gauge in the country !! not ready to start loading myself, so i guess unless i can find someone to load them for me, i'm s... out of luck ! was looking forward to taking this puppy out too

Here you go.. RST low pressure shells. Check out the top list named "Best Grade". They have 16ga 2-1/2" shells at lower pressures for older guns. Do not use steel shot in that old gun, only lead shot.


http://www.rstshells.com/rst_classic...shotshells.htm