Shooting old shotguns can be very exciting. They are all unique. Often, the actions and other aspects of the firearm are unique to a certain period. For example, German guns such as the Drilling (the German word for triplet, is a 3-barreled gun), Vierling (the German word for quadruplet, is a 4-barreled gun), and side-by-sides with under-levers are from a by-gone era. As such, the only way to experience these types of shotguns is to shoot one from those periods.
When shooting older shotguns, it is imperative that you make sure that they are safe to shoot. It can be fun doing your research and interpreting the proof marks on older shotguns. Proof marks are symbols or stamps on a firearm that certifies its safety, compliance and legal requirements through standardized marks. There are certain things, including proof marks, to look for when determining if your shotgun is safe to shoot. They are: the barrel, chamber and choke.
Barrel
The barrel of an older shotgun can be a good indication if the gun is safe to shoot. Older shotguns could have a barrel or barrels made from cold rolled steel, case hardened, Damascus or fluid steel. Codes indicating the type of steel used in the barrel and receiver of older shotguns include “S” for steel, “D” for Damascus, “C” for chain steel Damascus, “K” for Krupp steel, “T” for twisted steel, or “F” for fluid steel.
Krupp steel and fluid steel are usually safe to shoot with modern smokeless powder. Fluid steel is the strongest and is an early term used for forged steel. Krupp steel was considered a very strong steel produced by the German “Krupp family” steel and munitions company founded in 1811 and operated until the end of World War II.
If there are other codes indicating steel other than Krupp and fluid steel, the owner of the shotgun needs to do some additional research. There should be other codes indicating if the shotgun was produced to use black powder or modern smokeless powder. Using modern smokeless powder in a firearm manufactured for black powder could result in damage to the firearm to severe injury or death to the shooter.
The condition of the barrel can also give a clue if the older shotgun is safe to shoot. An older shotgun that is very rusty or has severely pitted metal should not be shot until cleaned or taken to a qualified gunsmith to be checked out. Additionally, never shoot any shotgun if there are cracks or splits anywhere on the barrel, receiver, or breech face. In other words, if it looks unsafe it probably is unsafe!
Chamber
Many older shotguns are chambered for 2½” shotshells. I typically see this when students bring older shotguns to my NRA Basic and/or Instructor Shotgun classes. This is the reason why I always use a chamber gauge on any older shotgun before allowing it to be shot in my class. It never fails. Virtually none of these students knew that 2½” chambers even existed. This is because 2½” chambers are no longer produced. Modern chambers are either 2¾” or 3” and in some cases, 3½” magnum.
Understanding the chamber of your shotgun is the most important thing to know about this firearm. This is because a shell that is too large can easily fit into a chamber not designed for it, but the outcome will be disastrous. For example, a shotgun that has a chamber sized only for 2½” shotshells will accept a 2¾” shotshell. Why? Because an unfired 2¾” shotshell measures 2½”, which is why it will fit in a chamber designed for a 2½” shotshell. A 2¾” shotshell measures 2¾” only after it is fired. If the 2¾” shotshell is fired in a gun with a 2 ½” chamber, the result would be a blown barrel which could damage the firearm and cause serious bodily injury or death to the shooter. This is beginner shotgun knowledge that is taught in the NRA Basic Shotgun Course.
It is also important to know the pressures that your older shotgun can safely handle. In other words, is your older shotgun rated for black powder or modern smokeless powder? Black powder shotguns can be identified in two ways. The first is a lack of smokeless powder codes under the barrel. For example, if the shotgun is obviously very old without any powder markings. The second is the presence of a black powder symbol or a series of letters under a stamped crown. This will require some research on the part of the owner of the gun.
Older shotguns that are made for smokeless powder are easier to identify but still require the owner of the firearm to do their research. These marks are usually located by removing the fore-end and then the marks can be seen under the barrel. Early shotguns were made to shoot the smokeless powder, nitrocellulose. The smokeless powder marks usually include the initials, “P.V.” or an “N” under a stamped crown. Older shotguns could also have the words, “Nitro” or “Nitro Proofed” on the barrel.
Chokes
Chokes are very complex when it comes to older shotguns. Most older shotguns are going to have “fixed” barrels or chokes. This means that the chokes are built into the end of the barrel. The size of the choke in the barrel might be marked in several locations. Many choke sizes are located on the barrel in the form of a data stamp. The data stamp should indicate the size of the choke in the form of CYL (Cylinder or Open), IMP (Improved Cylinder), MOD (Modified), and FULL (Full Choke).
The problem with fixed barrels is that the amount of constriction in the choke could vary greatly between manufacturers. Additionally, new shotguns with screw-in chokes can vary because of the differences in barrel diameters, even in the case of barrels from the same manufacturers. It is important to know how to positively identify the choke of your barrel, regardless of whether it is a newer shotgun or an older one.
There are two ways of positively identifying the choke of your older shotgun or a newer one with interchangeable chokes. The first way is to know how to correctly use a patterning board. The second is using a bore gauge. By subtracting the diameter of the tightest constriction of the choke from the diameter of the barrel can identify the correct choke of the firearm.
The reason that you need to positively identify the correct choke of your older shotgun is because it may be only rated for a specific load. This information is usually found under the fore-end on the bottom side of the barrel or barrels. This information is often written in codes, requiring you to do some research. By correctly identifying the choke and deciphering the codes, you can choose the proper modern load safe to shoot out of your older shotgun.
Shooting a shotgun that once belonged to your great grandfather or any other ancestor can be very memorable. It is also exciting to shoot any older shotgun, especially if it is 100 or more years old. Just be safe and do your homework. When you shoot an old shotgun, it transforms you back to earlier times. Many times, you feel a special connection to your ancestors or those who owned the gun before you!
