Shattuck double barrel shotgun
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Nice coloring, what's the vintage?
Rpg
Member
I don't have specific information on your gun, but it's obviously a lower end gun.
Wood to metal fitting is only approximate, the colors are cyanide produced not case colored and it looks to be off-face.
Wood to metal fitting is only approximate, the colors are cyanide produced not case colored and it looks to be off-face.
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OP
Late 1897-1909 I think.
OP
Rpg
Member
The space between the barrels and the breach face in your second photo suggests that the action is loose - off-face.
This can be repaired, but may cost more than the gun is worth.
Their shotgun mfg was started in 1880 with single shots. The SxS's started a few yrs after. All continued to 1910 when the Co closed up.
Prior to 1880 all they made were handguns.
The trigger action breakopen single shot is probably to one Shattuck that brings attention and sometimes some $$. If it's one in nice condition and of the 8 or 10 guage versions (especially the 8ga) they can bring a few bucks.
The OP's gun looks to me to have been all refinished.
AFAIK, Shattuck shotgun bbls were all of the Twist, Laminated or Damascus steel construction.
Those on the gun look to be reblued and that will usually cover the Twist pattern quite well. Sometimes in the right light you can still see it. A small 'test area' under the forend can be used to place a dot of muriatic acid and that will expose the twist pattern if there.
The Case Colors are Cyanide produced and were done in a modern mechanical quench process to give the signiture 'wave' pattern to them.
Potassium Cyanide was not unkn to have been used to case harden low carbon steel and iron. Blacksmiths used it all the time.
Some gun makers as well used it,,Remington for example.
Rem used cyanide to harden some small parts for rifles and shotguns. They used the process to Color Case Harden the Parker Shotgun frames and parts they produced after they took over Parker shotgun production.
But their process was a standard drop quench of the part(s) resulting in the swirl coloring much like bone-char case coloring.
The colors are somewhat different and if you know what you are looking at, you can pick out the difference betw the two even when the same quench process is used.
This gun was quenched with a process used on more modern arms such as single shot H&R/ IJ and the like from the 1960's and on.
Many Euro made O/U frame shotguns got the same treatment that were mfg in the 60's and 70's.
I read somewhere that Shattuck was Maj. Charles S Shattuck and had been in a Vt. Inf unit during the Civil War.
He had a partner early on in this gun business, but that person was out of the picture by 1880. That's when Shattuck began the shotgun mfg.
I don't know if those two points are related.
It was for either Andw Fyrberg &Son or CS Shattuck that Oscar Mossberg first worked for when he came over from Europe.
CAn't recall which now.
Fyrberg & Son was bought out by SEARS when they formed Meriden Firearms to make their firearms.
Prior to 1880 all they made were handguns.
The trigger action breakopen single shot is probably to one Shattuck that brings attention and sometimes some $$. If it's one in nice condition and of the 8 or 10 guage versions (especially the 8ga) they can bring a few bucks.
The OP's gun looks to me to have been all refinished.
AFAIK, Shattuck shotgun bbls were all of the Twist, Laminated or Damascus steel construction.
Those on the gun look to be reblued and that will usually cover the Twist pattern quite well. Sometimes in the right light you can still see it. A small 'test area' under the forend can be used to place a dot of muriatic acid and that will expose the twist pattern if there.
The Case Colors are Cyanide produced and were done in a modern mechanical quench process to give the signiture 'wave' pattern to them.
Potassium Cyanide was not unkn to have been used to case harden low carbon steel and iron. Blacksmiths used it all the time.
Some gun makers as well used it,,Remington for example.
Rem used cyanide to harden some small parts for rifles and shotguns. They used the process to Color Case Harden the Parker Shotgun frames and parts they produced after they took over Parker shotgun production.
But their process was a standard drop quench of the part(s) resulting in the swirl coloring much like bone-char case coloring.
The colors are somewhat different and if you know what you are looking at, you can pick out the difference betw the two even when the same quench process is used.
This gun was quenched with a process used on more modern arms such as single shot H&R/ IJ and the like from the 1960's and on.
Many Euro made O/U frame shotguns got the same treatment that were mfg in the 60's and 70's.
I read somewhere that Shattuck was Maj. Charles S Shattuck and had been in a Vt. Inf unit during the Civil War.
He had a partner early on in this gun business, but that person was out of the picture by 1880. That's when Shattuck began the shotgun mfg.
I don't know if those two points are related.
It was for either Andw Fyrberg &Son or CS Shattuck that Oscar Mossberg first worked for when he came over from Europe.
CAn't recall which now.
Fyrberg & Son was bought out by SEARS when they formed Meriden Firearms to make their firearms.
OP
2162HQ
Always enjoy your thorough posts and knowledge.
Thanks for the info I'll try your suggestion to see if twist steel.
I did some checking and it was Shattuck Mossberg was employed by.
I had some other help and polished steel barrels were also listed.
I think the wood has been played with on it.
The metal I'm not so sure.
Always enjoy your thorough posts and knowledge.
Thanks for the info I'll try your suggestion to see if twist steel.
I did some checking and it was Shattuck Mossberg was employed by.
I had some other help and polished steel barrels were also listed.
I think the wood has been played with on it.
The metal I'm not so sure.
Attachments
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OP
Rpg
Member
I'm focusing on the second photo in your first post. The view from the side.
Your newest photo from the top looks like the barrels may have been over polished when being refinished. Just like a refinished Smith, the sharp edges are rounded.
Your newest photo from the top looks like the barrels may have been over polished when being refinished. Just like a refinished Smith, the sharp edges are rounded.
OP
Rpg
Member
I may be seeing the same rounding on the barrel edge that was apparent fin your photo from the top.
Take the forend off. Grab the barrels in one hand with the butt hanging down and move your hand back and forth to shake the gun by the barrels. If you feel ANY looseness, it may be off-face and should be evaluated by a competent double-gun smith.
Take the forend off. Grab the barrels in one hand with the butt hanging down and move your hand back and forth to shake the gun by the barrels. If you feel ANY looseness, it may be off-face and should be evaluated by a competent double-gun smith.
Rpg's method of checking for a loose fit is a good one.
Another very similar is to take the forend off.
Turn the gun upside down and hold it horitontal.
Then push the top lever to the open position and hold it open.
(The bbls won't fall off as the assembly is upside down)
With both your hands supporting the buttstock and frame only, nothing touching the bbls...
Shake the bbls gently side to side.
Don't flip them upwards,,just a gentle side to side shake.
If the bbls are off face any amt,,you will feel them move as you shake the assembly. Sometimes you can hear them rattle & click when they are really bad!
The weight and length of the bbls and the fact that they are hooked/pivoted up close to the standing breech in this simple test gives them plenty of leverage to show any amt of 'off the face' clearance looseness.
The bbls can also be off-face in spots around the breech but still be a tight fit at other spots.
This will make them feel tight, but gaps in the fit can sometimes be seen when held to a bright light, checked with feeler gauge matl, or the best way is to gently smoke the breech face of the bbls.
Then close and lock the bbls on the frame. Then open the bbls and check for contact betw the bbl face and frame,,or lack of it.
There quite possibly may be something less than a James Purdey shop fitting there. Things can be fixed w/o getting into welding and refitting a hinge pin and all that.
I think some of the pics are just showing the refinish rounded edges of both bbls and frame coming together and the shadow line it causes.
Check the chamber length vs gauge before any shooting if that is the plan. 1910 and before most any chamber length was the game.
That's the first Shattuck SxS I've seen in a very long time.
Single shot break open shotguns and small handguns,,but not SxS's.
The pic of the underside of the bbls shows two 'weep' holes drilled into the rib. One in front of the forend hook, the other into the 'short rib' behind it.
Those are generally drilled when bbls are aftermarket blued. They allow the boiling water that inevitably gets inside the bbl/rib cavity to get back out again. Soldered on ribs are never a perfect fit and the tiniest pin hole will let water in. It has no real way to get back out w/o these weep holes.
When orig mfg'd, the bbl assemblys are left open at the muzzle end and that is the massage point for water in,,water out. Then simply soft soldered closed after the finishing is done.
Never say never,,Winchester has always drilled weep holes on their Model 21 bbl assemblies when brand new. They too rust blued them. So they decided they were necessary.
Win plugged the holes after the bbls were blued by simply placing a lead shot pellet on the hole and lightly punching it into place. It flattens the BB and at the same time lightly rivets the shot into place in the hole.
Another very similar is to take the forend off.
Turn the gun upside down and hold it horitontal.
Then push the top lever to the open position and hold it open.
(The bbls won't fall off as the assembly is upside down)
With both your hands supporting the buttstock and frame only, nothing touching the bbls...
Shake the bbls gently side to side.
Don't flip them upwards,,just a gentle side to side shake.
If the bbls are off face any amt,,you will feel them move as you shake the assembly. Sometimes you can hear them rattle & click when they are really bad!
The weight and length of the bbls and the fact that they are hooked/pivoted up close to the standing breech in this simple test gives them plenty of leverage to show any amt of 'off the face' clearance looseness.
The bbls can also be off-face in spots around the breech but still be a tight fit at other spots.
This will make them feel tight, but gaps in the fit can sometimes be seen when held to a bright light, checked with feeler gauge matl, or the best way is to gently smoke the breech face of the bbls.
Then close and lock the bbls on the frame. Then open the bbls and check for contact betw the bbl face and frame,,or lack of it.
There quite possibly may be something less than a James Purdey shop fitting there. Things can be fixed w/o getting into welding and refitting a hinge pin and all that.
I think some of the pics are just showing the refinish rounded edges of both bbls and frame coming together and the shadow line it causes.
Check the chamber length vs gauge before any shooting if that is the plan. 1910 and before most any chamber length was the game.
That's the first Shattuck SxS I've seen in a very long time.
Single shot break open shotguns and small handguns,,but not SxS's.
The pic of the underside of the bbls shows two 'weep' holes drilled into the rib. One in front of the forend hook, the other into the 'short rib' behind it.
Those are generally drilled when bbls are aftermarket blued. They allow the boiling water that inevitably gets inside the bbl/rib cavity to get back out again. Soldered on ribs are never a perfect fit and the tiniest pin hole will let water in. It has no real way to get back out w/o these weep holes.
When orig mfg'd, the bbl assemblys are left open at the muzzle end and that is the massage point for water in,,water out. Then simply soft soldered closed after the finishing is done.
Never say never,,Winchester has always drilled weep holes on their Model 21 bbl assemblies when brand new. They too rust blued them. So they decided they were necessary.
Win plugged the holes after the bbls were blued by simply placing a lead shot pellet on the hole and lightly punching it into place. It flattens the BB and at the same time lightly rivets the shot into place in the hole.
Last edited:
OP
A plan...I don't know as I have a plan 
I picked it up for the oddity factor and where it was made.
The price was 150 OTD so either way as a shootable gun or just a piece of history I liked I'm not hurt too bad.
I put a 2 3/4 shell in and it fit.
Tried a 3" and it went in also....so figure a low pressure 2 3/4 would be doable if things check out otherwise.
Pretty scientific of me.
I did take it apart some for cleaning and lubrication today. I even used the vintage punch.
Ultimately I do think I'd like to shoot it some if able
Appreciate the doubles help from you and RPG
I picked it up for the oddity factor and where it was made.
The price was 150 OTD so either way as a shootable gun or just a piece of history I liked I'm not hurt too bad.
I put a 2 3/4 shell in and it fit.
Tried a 3" and it went in also....so figure a low pressure 2 3/4 would be doable if things check out otherwise.
Pretty scientific of me.
I did take it apart some for cleaning and lubrication today. I even used the vintage punch.
Ultimately I do think I'd like to shoot it some if able
Appreciate the doubles help from you and RPG
Attachments
If a loaded 3" dropped into the chamber,,then the chamber is likely cut to at least 2 5/8" and maybe even 2 3/4".
2 5/8" 12ga was a common length for that gauge at the time. ( 2 1/2 was also.)
A LOADED 3" 12ga round is 'about' 2 5/8 to 2 3/4" long.
Once fired, the unfurled crimp will give it it's extended length of 3".
FWIW, AH Fox cut their 12ga chambers to 2 5/8 for use with 2 3/4" ammo. They felt it patterned better.
That was ammo of the day & pre and post WW1 mfg shotguns. I believe Remington may have done the same
Not a real super way of determining chamber length!, but better than a flip of the coin guess.
These old(er) guns had very short and abrupt forcing cones, can have undersize bores,,so take it easy on the ammo fed to them.
Vintage shooters like to load or buy shells that produce pressures for a 12ga that are generally in the 7000 psi range and below. Preferably below.
Not hard to do at all especially when handloading.
Most all OTC 12ga ammo is loaded to around 10K and + psi to make sure they work in the modern guns out there.
If you want to take a fairly easy chamber cast it can be done with 5min epoxy. A single tube of the cheapest stuff is fine.
Make a dowel that fits into the chamber with some room left over for the glue all around.
The dowel takes up most of the space so you don't need a lot of expensive cheap glue and also gives you a handle to help pull the casting out once it sets up.
Cover the chamber and part of the bore in front of the chamber with a release agent. Paste wax works well. I use car wax.
Then place a big cleaning patch onto a cleaning rod and enter from the muzzle.
Push it down the bbl and stop just shy of the chamber.
That'll be the front end of your casting. I try and get a casting of the forcing cone as well,,that tapered area from chamber into the bore.
If you back it off even more and have enough glue you can get the bore itself. Then you can measure the bore dia with of the casting.
With the patch in place,,dump some of the glue into the chamber and push the dowel in place. Turn the dowel a bit to make sure the glue is covering the entire surface in there, Add more glue till it just starts to over flow the chamber and gets into the rim recess.
Let it harden. Then push the casting out with the cleaning rod.
Clip the casting off of the rod by snipping the cleaning patch with a side cutter.
Your chamber casting is in hand.
Probably not SAAMI perfect,,but it will measure up and easily show the chamber length, chamber dia, taper, forcing cone length & specs and if you wanted it you can meaasuer the bore dia right in front of the forcing cone.
All with a basic Hecho en Mexico plastic dial caliper
2 5/8" 12ga was a common length for that gauge at the time. ( 2 1/2 was also.)
A LOADED 3" 12ga round is 'about' 2 5/8 to 2 3/4" long.
Once fired, the unfurled crimp will give it it's extended length of 3".
FWIW, AH Fox cut their 12ga chambers to 2 5/8 for use with 2 3/4" ammo. They felt it patterned better.
That was ammo of the day & pre and post WW1 mfg shotguns. I believe Remington may have done the same
Not a real super way of determining chamber length!, but better than a flip of the coin guess.
These old(er) guns had very short and abrupt forcing cones, can have undersize bores,,so take it easy on the ammo fed to them.
Vintage shooters like to load or buy shells that produce pressures for a 12ga that are generally in the 7000 psi range and below. Preferably below.
Not hard to do at all especially when handloading.
Most all OTC 12ga ammo is loaded to around 10K and + psi to make sure they work in the modern guns out there.
If you want to take a fairly easy chamber cast it can be done with 5min epoxy. A single tube of the cheapest stuff is fine.
Make a dowel that fits into the chamber with some room left over for the glue all around.
The dowel takes up most of the space so you don't need a lot of expensive cheap glue and also gives you a handle to help pull the casting out once it sets up.
Cover the chamber and part of the bore in front of the chamber with a release agent. Paste wax works well. I use car wax.
Then place a big cleaning patch onto a cleaning rod and enter from the muzzle.
Push it down the bbl and stop just shy of the chamber.
That'll be the front end of your casting. I try and get a casting of the forcing cone as well,,that tapered area from chamber into the bore.
If you back it off even more and have enough glue you can get the bore itself. Then you can measure the bore dia with of the casting.
With the patch in place,,dump some of the glue into the chamber and push the dowel in place. Turn the dowel a bit to make sure the glue is covering the entire surface in there, Add more glue till it just starts to over flow the chamber and gets into the rim recess.
Let it harden. Then push the casting out with the cleaning rod.
Clip the casting off of the rod by snipping the cleaning patch with a side cutter.
Your chamber casting is in hand.
Probably not SAAMI perfect,,but it will measure up and easily show the chamber length, chamber dia, taper, forcing cone length & specs and if you wanted it you can meaasuer the bore dia right in front of the forcing cone.
All with a basic Hecho en Mexico plastic dial caliper
