Help--R. R. Moore Cortland, NY Percussion shotgun

sfcmtrn

All,

My wife's uncle just showed me what he believes to be his gradfathers side by side percussion shotgun. It is in poor condition by my estimation. The stock was broken in a fall from over a fireplace... It was poorly repaired and although both locks and triggers function, I would never shoot it! I am told that it is original to the best of the families knowledge. No on has worked on it since it was passed down from the grandfather in the 1940s. On the left barrel is marked R.R. Moore Cortland NY No. 1361. On the left side of the lock was R R Moores shotgun PAT Dec 26th 1871. Can any one give me some info on this? A rough idea of value? Sorry, I did not have my digital camera with me that day. I can get pics if necessary. Not sure if I can get high enough quality to show the markings, I had to look at it under a magnifying glass and I have 20/20 vision.

Thank you,
SFC Kirk Mattern

Spider7115

Rensselaer R. Moore was born circa 1821 and an 1850 census listed him as a gunsmith in Cincinnatus, New York. He serial numbered his firearms and manufactured slightly more than 1100 arms before moving to Cortland in June of 1866. His business continued to grow up until his death on January 11, 1877. "Ranse" as he was called, manufactured a wide variety of firearms and takes up more than 20 pages in the reference book "The New York State Firearms Trade" by Swinney and Rowe.

sfcmtrn

Thanks Spider, I'll look into that reference ASAP. Kirk