Info on Hammer Coach Gun with Greener Cross Bolt

rballi

I came across a 12ga SxS Double Trigger/Hammer Coach gun with 20" bbls imp/mod. The action has a Greener Cross Bolt. The owner said the gun is from the 60's or 70's. The importer is Universal and it's a Russian (Tula mfg) gun. Checkered hardwood, minimal scrolling, and basic wildlife scene (dog & birds). What's it worth? Explain Greener vs regular Boxlock. Info on Universal & Tula.

rufe-snow

Universal Firearms was a manufacturer of various M 1 Carbine clones from the mid 1960's to the early 1980's. They were located in Florida. I wasn't aware that they imported Russian Shotguns.

Der Gebirgsjager

I'll try. Tula is one of the oldest Russian arms manufacturers. It is located approx. 125 miles almost due south of Moscow. It was established in the time of the Czars and originally made sporting firearms, notably fine shotguns, but also made military weapons, and was taken over by the Soviets in about 1920. Thereafter it primarily made military weapons until the end of the Soviet Union; since which time it has again entered the sporting firearms field and has become a fairly large exporter. Tula firearms are not always the fanciest, but they are usually a good product worth the asking price. They have used various marks, but the most common is a T in a circle or triangle, or a fletched arrow usually in a triangle.

Crossbolt: A form of shotgun lock originally conceived by the W.W. Greener Company of London, England. A Greener type lock is identified by a top extension that protrudes from the chamber area of the barrels into a fitted recess in the face of the breech. The top lever of the action actuates a crossbolt that slides to the left (at right angles to the axis of the bore) and passes thru a hole or slot in the top extension. Some crossbolts are shaped like cylindrical pins, while others are more or less bar-shaped. A properly fitted crossbolt does much to strengthen the locking mechanism of break open type firearms, however, too many cross bolts are not properly fitted--do not really engage the top extension--and are therefore really only ornamental.

Box lock: A 19th century type of lock for rifles, shotguns and pistols characterized by having the hammer inside the lock plate but projecting thru between the stock and the lock plate.

Above definitions from: Shooter's Bible Small Arms Lexicon and Concise Encyclopedia.

A Savage/Stevens Model 311 would be a modern version of a box lock. Both are strong, satisfactory locking methods. The Greener version is generally considered too expensive to manufacture in this country today, but is still found where labor costs are lower.

Coincidentally, I have something very similar in my shop right now made by Tula and marked as a model TOZ-66. This one is a Greener crossbolt lock with external hammers. I am looking for the snap lock (thumb latch lever) part which is broken, the little extension that pushes the crossbolt being broken off. So far, no luck. HELP! ANYBODY! HELP!

As for value--probably not much. My best guess is $150 for yours, $75 for the one I'm working on. I don't remember who imported it....I can check on that tomorrow if you wish.

Python

Der Gebirgsjager;
You will, in all likelyhood, have to make these
parts for you're toz-66. For what ever reason these are tough
to find, and usually very worn IF found. I had to make the lock bar, cam and thumb lever for an old Greener my grand dad gave me, and that was a long time ago. It is now a solid old gun, but, because of the twist barrels, not a shooter, but a VERY pretty herloom.

rballi

Thanks for the replies.

Der Gebirgsjager, thanks for your narrative. The person that has it is offering it with about a $250 trade value. It's a tight, good looking, complete, good condition gun. Based on your info, he is a little on the high side.

I have a gun for sale for $325, he wants to give me the coach gun and my pick of a Win 290 or Rem 550 22 rifle.