Syracuse Arms Grade 2 Damascus side be side

[Ringel05]

Went to the gun show in town today, ran across a 1880s 12 gauge Syracuse Arms shotgun in fair shape. The guy had it listed for $250, I left for a while and came back just before closing, he let me have it for $150. Needs to be cleaned up, has some small dings in the barrel and only one side still fires (not that I'll be firing it).
This is a photo I pulled off the internet, mine looks the same but needs a good cleaning.

 

[Cellblock2429]

Went to the gun show in town today, ran across a 1880s 12 gauge Syracuse Arms shotgun in fair shape. The guy had it listed for $250, I left for a while and came back just before closing, he let me have it for $150. Needs to be cleaned up, has some small dings in the barrel and only one side still fires (not that I'll be firing it).
This is a photo I pulled off the internet, mine looks the same but needs a good cleaning.

/---/ If you were to fire it, what kind of shell would it take and can the barrel be repaired? Not sure if it's a collectible

 

[Ringel05]

Went to the gun show in town today, ran across a 1880s 12 gauge Syracuse Arms shotgun in fair shape. The guy had it listed for $250, I left for a while and came back just before closing, he let me have it for $150. Needs to be cleaned up, has some small dings in the barrel and only one side still fires (not that I'll be firing it).
This is a photo I pulled off the internet, mine looks the same but needs a good cleaning.

/---/ If you were to fire it, what kind of shell would it take and can the barrel be repaired? Not sure if it's a collectible

Most likely a black powder or Poudre B (first smokeless powder) 12 gauge shell as for getting the dings out a good damascus gunsmith (few and far between) might be able to, I wouldn't have a regular gunsmith try it. Re it's collectability they're not highly valued right now and in reality I paid just a little less than what the gun is really worth.

 

[JGalt]

Went to the gun show in town today, ran across a 1880s 12 gauge Syracuse Arms shotgun in fair shape. The guy had it listed for $250, I left for a while and came back just before closing, he let me have it for $150. Needs to be cleaned up, has some small dings in the barrel and only one side still fires (not that I'll be firing it).
This is a photo I pulled off the internet, mine looks the same but needs a good cleaning.

/---/ If you were to fire it, what kind of shell would it take and can the barrel be repaired? Not sure if it's a collectible

Most likely a black powder or Poudre B (first smokeless powder) 12 gauge shell as for getting the dings out a good damascus gunsmith (few and far between) might be able to, I wouldn't have a regular gunsmith try it. Re it's collectability they're not highly valued right now and in reality I paid just a little less than what the gun is really worth.

I wouldn't be afraid to load up some black powder shells for it. I've owned 5 different antique muzzle-loading rifles in the last 10 years, from .32, .36, and up to .56 caliber. Even the authentically-old ones are remarkably strong. It would be easy to look online and get some black powder charge tables for that Damascus shotty. Just strap it down to a tire with a string on the trigger first.

 

[Ringel05]

Gotta pick up some Hoppe's No 9, Lacquer thinner and a Frontier Pad. Still trying to figure out how to remove the butt, think there's an extra pin but not sure, I can get it loose but it won't disconnect from the hardware.

 

[westwall]

So long as you shoot black powder loads through it you would be OK. I have an old Greener that i bought back in the 1970's (after watching Big Jake, I figured if it was good enough for John Wayne it was good enough for me!) and i have been shooting it pretty regularly for the last few decades. They're a hoot! Especially when I shoot trap with it at the club!

 

[JGalt]

Gotta pick up some Hoppe's No 9, Lacquer thinner and a Frontier Pad. Still trying to figure out how to remove the butt, think there's an extra pin but not sure, I can get it loose but it won't disconnect from the hardware.

I couldn't find a youtube video explaining how to disassemble that one, just this diagram that doesn't show much..

A Youtube video on shooting those shotguns:

 

[Crixus]

Went to the gun show in town today, ran across a 1880s 12 gauge Syracuse Arms shotgun in fair shape. The guy had it listed for $250, I left for a while and came back just before closing, he let me have it for $150. Needs to be cleaned up, has some small dings in the barrel and only one side still fires (not that I'll be firing it).
This is a photo I pulled off the internet, mine looks the same but needs a good cleaning.

/---/ If you were to fire it, what kind of shell would it take and can the barrel be repaired? Not sure if it's a collectible

Most likely a black powder or Poudre B (first smokeless powder) 12 gauge shell as for getting the dings out a good damascus gunsmith (few and far between) might be able to, I wouldn't have a regular gunsmith try it. Re it's collectability they're not highly valued right now and in reality I paid just a little less than what the gun is really worth.

I would stick with he black for sure. FF maybe or the black that this CAS guys use. Starline sells the full brass (as in ALL brass) shot gun shells. If the one barrel won’t cloak at all, one could hose it down with WD-40, but I would be sure there were o dents in that barrel.

 

[Ringel05]

Gotta pick up some Hoppe's No 9, Lacquer thinner and a Frontier Pad. Still trying to figure out how to remove the butt, think there's an extra pin but not sure, I can get it loose but it won't disconnect from the hardware.

I couldn't find a youtube video explaining how to disassemble that one, just this diagram that doesn't show much..

A Youtube video on shooting those shotguns:

It's also called a Hollenbeck (pre-Syracuse Arms). Supposedly Tom Archer (Double Gun Journal) did a five part series on these guns, looking into it now.

 

[Ringel05]

It's hard to see but the top close up in the picture is supposed to be what my barrel looks like.

I doubt I can get it clean enough without a full refinish to make it look like the one on this Remington.

 

[Crixus]

It's hard to see but the top close up in the picture is supposed to be what my barrel looks like.

I doubt I can get it clean enough without a full refinish to make it look like the one on this Remington.

Yup, Damascus barrels. You can only use the black. Since you do living history and reenact, I figure you got a Dixie gun works carologue. There is reloading data in the back and they used to sell paper 10ga (if that’s what you have) hulls, but if you went with all brass you would get a better deal at Starline. I would also bet dollars to doughnuts that your striker or whatever is all dunked up with unburnt BP nasryness. Nice gun man.

 

[Ringel05]

It's hard to see but the top close up in the picture is supposed to be what my barrel looks like.

I doubt I can get it clean enough without a full refinish to make it look like the one on this Remington.

Yup, Damascus barrels. You can only use the black. Since you do living history and reenact, I figure you got a Dixie gun works carologue. There is reloading data in the back and they used to sell paper 10ga (if that’s what you have) hulls, but if you went with all brass you would get a better deal at Starline. I would also bet dollars to doughnuts that your striker or whatever is all dunked up with unburnt BP nasryness. Nice gun man.

Track of the Wolf's stuff is better (though somewhat limited) and typically much more authentic, much more expensive also......... Yeah, have a lot of work ahead of me, already started cleaning the furniture, going from brownish black to what looks like a nice straight grained dark walnut. Once it's as clean as I can get it and dry I'll hit it with a few coats of Tru-Oil to seal it and bring the shine out. Not looking to refinish/restore it just clean it of 100 years of gunk.

 

[Crixus]

It's hard to see but the top close up in the picture is supposed to be what my barrel looks like.

I doubt I can get it clean enough without a full refinish to make it look like the one on this Remington.

Yup, Damascus barrels. You can only use the black. Since you do living history and reenact, I figure you got a Dixie gun works carologue. There is reloading data in the back and they used to sell paper 10ga (if that’s what you have) hulls, but if you went with all brass you would get a better deal at Starline. I would also bet dollars to doughnuts that your striker or whatever is all dunked up with unburnt BP nasryness. Nice gun man.

Track of the Wolf's stuff is better (though somewhat limited) and typically much more authentic, much more expensive also......... Yeah, have a lot of work ahead of me, already started cleaning the furniture, going from brownish black to what looks like a nice straight grained dark walnut. Once it's as clean as I can get it and dry I'll hit it with a few coats of Tru-Oil to seal it and bring the shine out. Not looking to refinish/restore it just clean it of 100 years of gunk.

I only keep a DGW catalogue on hand for the stuff in the back. Track is a good catalogue though. Worth $$. Look forward to seeing the gun all cleaned up.

 

[Crixus]

Man I really want to see that Damascus.

 

[Ringel05]

Man I really want to see that Damascus.

Here's what I uncovered today. Decided to use 320 grit wet sand (with Hoppe's 9), lightly brushed the surface as opposed to rubbing it then hit it with 0000 steel wool.

 

[Crixus]

Nose pattern. Saw a flint side by side with hot Damascus barrels once.

 

[Ringel05]

Here's before I started cleaning.

After cleaning the furniture.

In kinda rough shape and most of the checkering is gone. Thinking about refinishing, won't get it all out but will look a lot better. The only problem with refinishing is if they ever do become a collector's item the value will drop dramatically.

 

[Crixus]

That Amish milk stuff will make it real nice. There is also a clear coat stuff you can spray that Damascus with to that will keep the rust off.