Grandpas Shotgun

[Gwion]

I've actually spent about a year trying to find out some info on it to no avail. Seems that no one on the internet has any info about it at all

I'd take that as an indication of rarity which suggests value. Get in touch with your local SSAA branch and see if there's one of the members that collect shotguns and see if they know anything.

And if they say, "not worth much, I'll give ya $100"; you know it's worth a lot more!

[Gwion]

Well that leaves me in a bit of a pickle. I can't sell it as its a family heirloom in my eyes, but it's almost next to useless to me if I can't shoot it.
On another note,anyone ever heard of a "Zella" shotgun ? It's kinda like a cross between a martini action and a ruger no1 falling block action.

Mate. If it turns out to be worth a butt load, then it is a family ASSET. Cheap bunny guns are a dime a dozen. Expensive old shotguns are very rare. Don't shoot yourself in the foot for short sightedness. Find out its value before you screw it up for a bit of a blast!!!

[Gwion]

My last two bob. Don't use any abrasive or modern oils.

I have a few old fishing reels that would be worth a dollar or two but one collector looked at them and complained about the modern grease I had lubed them with after clean up.

If you want to shoot the thing and won't be dissuaded, have it inspected, use a mild load and shoot it as is. Again, if you ruin it now, your kids may curse you one day or you may curse yourself when that unexpected financial hit comes and your now potential ASSET is just a junky old bunny gun.

[<<Genesis93>>]

The way I see it - the only way to clean the rust is to go hard, which will require proper refinishing and re-blueing.... that will certainly change the character and if it is unique of particular high value - refinishing may increase the value, possibly decrease... thats the question... if its a $20,000 one of a kind or hens tooth specimen and you're not intended to sell - then restore it...

I would personally clean some rust off with some fine wool, give it a good oil, give the wood a tidy up, no abrasives, oil, put it in the safe and have a look at it from time to time... ideally on the wall but I dont think the 'enforcers' allow the lock-on-wall gun storage...

What Gwion says.... Guaranteed a dealer will offer either nothing, or charge you to 'dispose' of it..... theyre gun retailers.... not necessarily knowledgeable with other than the current Remington range..... they may even offer you a lot less than the true value..

[Supaduke]

The people that run Australian Arms Auctions, or whatever they are called , might be ones to contact. They deal with a lot of that sort of rare and antique stuff and might have a better idea of its value. And working off commission it's in their best interests to get the best price.

[<<Genesis93>>]

Proof marks?? what nitro or just BP proof??

yes, sorry

It possibly predates the proof houses

[bigpete]

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these are the only marks on it

[bigpete]

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[<<Genesis93>>]

So is it nitro proofed??

ok ok ... predates most proof houses

That'd be an interesting handbook

[pomemax]

????
G. GRESSMAN, ZELLA GERMANY SIDE BY SIDE 12 BORE SHOTGUN, C1870, L 30" BBLS: German Zella 12 bore shotgun; stamped G. Gressman, Zella
Zella-Mehlis is a town in the Schmalkalden-Meiningen district, in Thuringia, Germany. It is situated in the Thuringian Forest, 5 km north of Suhl, and 20 km east of Meiningen. The town of Zella-Mehlis is the site of the original Walther Arms and J.G.Anschutz weapons factories.

I am leaning to this direction may be a bit earlier than 1870


Stendal is a town in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is the capital of Stendal District and unofficial capital of the Altmark region.
Grundmann keeps coming up as a surname
what was Karls surname was it Grundmann

[on_one_wheel]

I seriously hope your just being a smart arse mate. My idea of cleaning it up is to gently clean off the old finish on the stock and refinish it to show up the wood grain and carving. The barrels and metal work would just get a bit of an oil up. And considering it was indeed used to put food on the table,I can see no problem "loading it up with black powder" and using it for its intended purpose just as my grandpa did,providing it is in safe working condition. You make it sound like I'm a bloody 18 year old kid who has no respect for anything. Far from the truth. I merely want to restore it,if possible,to decent working order. I'm not a collector,and it's a fully registered firearm so I can't display it,and I can't sell it, and it was left to me because my grandpa knows I have an interest in muzzleloaders and wants me to use it. Fair enough?

Of course I'm taking the piss!

I'm simply jealous as fcuk, I'd swap my first born daughter for a shotgun like that .... well almost.

[<<Genesis93>>]

????

[Tiger650]

Yeah clean it up, hit it with an 80 grit flapper disc and work your way down to a 240 grit ... should come up nice and shiny.

A few wood screws, picatinny rail, red dot sight and synthetic tactical stock modification will give it that " don't mess with me, I'm a tactician" look.

If you put some serious elbow grease into it you might just be able to make that $100 000 shotgun worth about $100.

Even better, stuff it's almost 200 yo ass full of black powder and blow it to bits for the ultimate devaluation.

What an amazing piece of work that shotgun is !
Thanks for sharing the pictures of it ... please for the love of old guns, don't ruin it.

Ditto x 10

[bigpete]

Thanks bentaz at least someone is helping out

[<<Genesis93>>]

yep, best idea EVA... fix it with a quad pic rail, torch, laser, something else, something elser....

[Gwion]

Thanks bentaz at least someone is helping out

Good work, Bentaz!

I'd still send pics to an antique firearms dealer or specialist shotgun smith for an idea if it has any value.

[Gwion]

Bigpete, PM sent.

[on_one_wheel]

yep, best idea EVA... fix it with a quad pic rail, torch, laser, something else, something elser....

It's like the bloke is scared of making it into something unique
It could end up being the something elsest.

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[darwindingo]

bigpete

Whatever the case, regarding actual $ value keep it in the family mate.. I'll bet that was what Grandpa was hoping. . It's bloody nice as is... btw.. !



Jeff

[Oldbloke]

My pop never left me anything like that. cherish it.

[brett1868]

I'm simply jealous as fcuk, I'd swap my first born daughter for a shotgun like that .... well almost.

How much for the little girl?.... John Belushi in The Blues Brothers

I keep tormenting my boy that if he mis-behaves I'll sell him on eBay cause that's were we got him from, he then lectures me on the birds & the bees and where babies come from. I love kids but not in the Michael Jackson way...I like them grilled not molested

[No1Mk3]

G'day bigpete,
just want to clarify a point here which some folk may have a bit of a vague grasp of. From a collectors viewpoint, and I have been collecting 40 years +, you can refurbish or restore a sporting arm and improve it's value and desirability. Top class guns are returned to makers such as Holland & Holland etc for restoration all the time. You do NOT restore military firearms, it instantly and permanently wrecks the value. The same applies to blades, a good knife or Samurai sword is enhanced by restoration, but a bayonet that is polished is ruined for all time. Have your gun checked for safety then re-brown the barrells and action, renew the timber work and enjoy a lovely old gun, Cheers.

[No1Mk3]

Addendum to previous,
I agree with bentaz, your gun is not a 1st, or even a makers 2nd. It is a general trade gun going by the very average engraving and layout. tracing the maker would be a task as so many records were lost to the war. In current condition it would sell for $100 to $150, restored $300 to $500, perhaps a bit more, but given it's heirloom status probably priceless to you and your family. Do it up, wall mount it if it turns out to be unsafe, or take it into the field with powder, wad, shot and card and shoot as your Grandad did, Cheers.

[bigpete]

Cheers mate

[franc]

How much for the little girl?.... John Belushi in The Blues Brothers

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[cuvy]

Maybe try contacting Ian McCollum from the Forgotten Weapons / InRangeTV YouTube channels. (http://www.forgottenweapons.com/contact/). With those pictures he might be able to give you an indication of what you have.

[bigpete]

Just took the shotgun into green river rifle works Allan is going to replace the nipples and the bottom lug and give it a once over but he's pretty sure it is all good to shoot

[bigpete]

Well its getting close to time to pick up the old girl so I'm making up some accoutrements for her and double checking other things. I've made myself a cap holder that will supposedly be easier for me to put new caps on,and I've double checked the adjustable powder flask grandpa gave me. When set on 2¼ drams it throws between 65 and 70 grains by weight of 2F black. That'll do little pig

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[MR. WINCHESTER]

My pop never left me anything like that. cherish it.

My Pop bequeathed his Hollis SxS 12 gauge AND his Lithgow Model 12 to me, when I was 16 !

What a great bloke !

[bigpete]

Grandpa bequeathed his Holloway and noughton sxs hammer shotgun to his worthless son. The entire family reckons he'll sell it within 6 months of grandpas passing.