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FWIW, the term "nitro" was applied at that time to shotguns made for smokeless (nitrocellulose) powder. This usually meant that the barrels were drilled from solid steel rather than built up like "Damascus" or "laminated" barrels.
These barrels were stronger than the built up barrels, but were considered by many to be too "common" and without the figure that made Damascus barrels so attractive. (It would be years before a "real sportsman" would be caught dead with a solid barrel gun.) They sold much cheaper (doubles often went for $5-10 and single barrels for as little as $2.50) and were made and sold by the thousands. (Multiply by 40 for today's prices.)
If the gun is solid and tight, it could probably be fired OK with low pressure loads, though its age is against it regardless of the barrel type.
Jim
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