Help ID old 10g

[voyager9 3,433]

So I had the memorial for my mother and a family friend gave me back a old shotgun mom had given away when she moved. Apparently it was my father's grandfathers. 

Need help identifying it. It's a double barrel 10g. Missing the hammers. He said it was a "Damascus barrel"

 

[10X 3,296]

Very sorry for your loss.

The shotgun must have some identifying marks on the barrel, maybe on the stock or buttplate, no?  Anything?

Damascus barrels should be identifiable just by looking, and would typically preclude use of modern ammo, just in case you find replacements for the hammers. 

Old family heirloom guns are intrinsically cool. 

[voyager9 3,433]

I'll look again once I get a sec. my brief look I didn't see anything obvious but will look again in better light.  How do I tell a Damascus barrel?

 

also found out my mom gave away an M1 Garand that my dad used in Korea.

[10X 3,296]

Rather than me trying to put it in words, you'll be better served if you do a google search on 'Damascus barrel'.  View images to see what they look like (they have real character) and read the description of how they are made to see why they look that way. 

[Zeke 5,504]

12 hours ago, voyager9 said:

So I had the memorial for my mother and a family friend gave me back a old shotgun mom had given away when she moved. Apparently it was my father's grandfathers. 

Need help identifying it. It's a double barrel 10g. Missing the hammers. He said it was a "Damascus barrel"

 

I would bet it's missing the hammers because it's a Damascus barrel. They are wrapped. Think cartoon gun blowing up.

[Scorpio64 5,147]

If there are any proof marks, please post pix of them.

[Smokin .50 1,907]

If the lock (receiver) isn't marked, try taking-off the water table (wooden fore end on a SxS double barrel) to examine the underside of the barrel.  My 10 ga. Pedersoli muzzleloader is stamped there with maximum load & Proof Marks  .  Hammers may have been taken off as a way to stop kids from dry firing it so as to save the hammer springs?  Good luck with the "old Girl" & if ya need any more help, just PM me.

Rosey

[maintenanceguy 510]

As said above, marks may be under the forearm.  Remove it carefully to prevent damage but it should just pull off.  If the retainer is rusted, it may fight.  I have had to drill out the rivets in the forearm before.

Your gun looks like thousands of others that weren't made by almost unknown makers.  Imported from all over the world and re-branded for whatever company was selling them.  You can't always get info on these guns.

And what we call damascus barrels really isn't damascus steel.  Real damascus steel is made in very thin layers by folding steel over and over again in the forge.  This was done to incorporate carbon from the fire into the steel and strengthen the steel.  It's often used in decorative blades because if you polish it, you can see the layers.

What we call damascus barrels are really just an old way of making barrels by rolling a flat steel bar around a mandrel.  The helical steel was then welded together by heating it in a forge.   The seams aren't strong enough for modern ammo and rust can get into those seams making them even weaker.

I mention this because if you're looking for the wavy pattern of damascus steel, you wont' see it.  You may be able to see the spiral seam that runs down the barrel.