The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > The North Corral > Curios and Relics

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old January 14, 2019, 04:58 PM   #1
Roamin_Wade
Junior member
 
Join Date: July 11, 2018
Location: Baytown, TX
Posts: 220
Pittsburgh Firearms Co.

I have an old Damascus twist double barreled 16ga external hammer shotgun with intricate scroll work that has in the banners on each side "Pittsburgh Firearms Co." It has Birmingham England proof marks from circa 1870-1885 but that is as far as I can trace its provenance. Does anyone know who may have made this shotgun and if so, what it may be worth in the round-a-bout unseen wall hanger collectibility price?

Last edited by Roamin_Wade; January 15, 2019 at 11:01 AM.
Roamin_Wade is offline  
Old January 14, 2019, 08:04 PM   #2
Drm50
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 10, 2014
Posts: 1,371
I live about 150 miles from Pittsburg and it's not uncommon to find old mule ears so marked. There is two stories on this, they imported parts and assembled in Pittsburg or
it was just importing them with the name stamped in them. Guys that collect Muzzel loaders
call unsigned rifles with Belgian locks & barrels, Pittsburg Guns because locals bought these
parts out of Pittsburg and made them up into rifles. A lot of the guys who were listed as
gunsmiths back in this period actually were putting together "kit" guns. They are original but not worth much compared to a original hand made gun, by documented Smith.
Drm50 is offline  
Old January 15, 2019, 05:25 AM   #3
std7mag
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 23, 2013
Location: Central Taxylvania..
Posts: 3,609
Living about 80 miles from Pittsburgh, i had never known that.
Nor have i run accross one yet.
Of course i will be looking for them now. :

Thank you for that information!
__________________
When our own government declares itself as "tyrannical", where does that leave us??!!

"Januarary 6th insurrection".
Funny, I didn't see a single piece of rope...
std7mag is offline  
Old January 15, 2019, 09:04 AM   #4
Mike Irwin
Staff
 
Join Date: April 13, 2000
Location: Northern Virginia
Posts: 41,374
Lots of good information in this thread...

http://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/...t&Number=87134

It appears that PFC was an importer/seller, and mostly of shotguns.

According to some other sites, PFC was in business from 1860 to 1882 and headed by J. Palmer O'Neil.

The company imported Wesley Richards shotguns under the PFC name. If your gun has English marks, then it's most likely a Wesley Richards-made gun.

Even so, these guns don't bring that much.


It looks like O'Neill died in 1883-1884, and the company folded.
__________________
"The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza

Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.
Mike Irwin is offline  
Old January 15, 2019, 02:47 PM   #5
RC20
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 10, 2008
Location: Alaska
Posts: 7,014
Most interesting
__________________
Science and Facts are True whether you believe it or not
RC20 is offline  
Old January 15, 2019, 04:57 PM   #6
Drm50
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 10, 2014
Posts: 1,371
I wonder if Westly Richards made their own barrels or farmed them out to Belgium? The
Pittsburg guns I have seen were far from mint but not the workmanship you would expect
from WR. I was never much interested in that type of gun and just took sellers word that
gun was made in Belgium. Many SxS twist guns were and branded for company or store
over here. I have had Greeners, Parkers and Colts from this eara and I will have to say the
slickest one was the Colt. I think the Colt had Belgian made barrels also.
Drm50 is offline  
Old January 15, 2019, 07:32 PM   #7
Mike Irwin
Staff
 
Join Date: April 13, 2000
Location: Northern Virginia
Posts: 41,374
If the barrels were made in Belgium I'd think that they would have at least some Belgian proofs, but I'm not 100% sure about that.

Westley Richards made a full range of guns, from very cheap "trade market" guns to the high end guns that we associate with them today.
__________________
"The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza

Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.
Mike Irwin is offline  
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:18 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.04724 seconds with 8 queries