Damascus Steel by Meriden Fire Arms Co.

chrislarson

I have a double barrel, double trigger shot gun. The information on the barrel says Damascus Steel mfgd by The Meriden Fire Arms Co. Meriden, CT USA Pat'd JY 9. 1907. I dont know anything about this gun. It is in fairly good condition, I think the firing pins are gone. Any ideas on what it is worth or what guage it is or where I can find more information? thanks!

Tailgunner1954

I have the same gun in 12 ga can't help you on pricing, but any decent 'smith can make the firing pins for you the pins are easy to break by dry-firing mine was made with fluid steel barrels

nord

Keep the pins broken as the gun is unsafe to fire with modern loads.Value, as stated above, will be rather low. Perhaps $150.00 as a decorator. Maybe a bit more, but you'll have to find a motivated buyer.

Xracer

To all of the above......Yes!Use it as a wallhanger....make a floorlamp out of it....if it has family sentimental value, take out and rub it....But don't try to shoot it!

chrislarson

thanks for your help! we figured it wasn't worth much and i was informed by my dad that this gun was dangerous, hence the removal of the firing pins. the guy we got it from used it as a wall decoration, i think i like the lamp idea!! thanks for your help!!

AdamsQuailHunter

Hi chrislarson Since this is your first post -- welcome to the forum. Obviously you checked the little box at the bottom that will notify you to look back here when someone responds to your post.I am considerably older than most on this forum. I was raised in a very rural area in western Florida in a family that hunted quail. I have considerably more Damascus barreled shotgun experience than the average bear. I still have quite a number of Damascus barreled shotguns, muzzle loader as well as cartridge machines, that I *HUNT* with on a regular basis.1. A. J. Aubrey of Meriden, Connecticut made "higher" quality double barreled shotguns, primary but not exclusively for Sears at the turn of the last century. Meriden Firearms Company was their successor. The made 12, 16 and 20 gauge SIDELOCK double barreled shotguns. (Generally, sidelocks are a higher quality machine than a boxlock shotgun.) Meriden Firearms Company was in business from 1905 until 1918. They produced hammer guns as well as hammerless shotguns, Damascus and fluid steel barreled ones in grades A to G. Some guns were engraved by the same people that did engraving for Parker Brothers. By people older than I and more knowledgable of of domestic shotguns of this era than I, they rate them in the same league as Davenports. Not an L. C. Smith or Parker Brothers but none the less a quality machine.These were a sizable step up from the "hardware" shotguns of 1910. The main distrubutor was Sears and prices ranged from $40 to $250, which by 1910 standards -- $40 was a BIG bucks shotgun -- not the $10 machine my grandfather had.In good condition -- with broken firing pins it is *NOT* in good condition -- an "A" grade field machine would go for $200-$250. The top grades require professional appraisal as they may be worth over $4000.2. Since this is NOT a "family" machine and if you have any interest in selling it, I would be interested. If you happen upon one in 20 gauge or a 20 gauge Davenport, I would greatly appreciate it if you would contact me.Regards To You & Your Family AdamsQuailHunteradamsqua@bellsouth.net[This message has been edited by AdamsQuailHunter (edited 03-24-2002).]