This 12 gauge double barrel shotgun was made sometime during the 1840's or 1850's based on its back action style locks - which is a distinct feature among pre-1860s shotguns. I's in great shape and it all original. However, its most interesting feature is its apparent alteration for military service.
The Southern states pressed thousands of civilian weapons into military service as a result of the large scale arms shortages faced by the Confederacy at the beginning of the war. Among the most popular of these makeshift military small arms was the shotgun; as its smoothbored large caliber barrel was ideal for the popular "buck and ball" cartridge which was so devastating at close ranges. According to author Russ A. Pritchard's book Confederate and Southern Agent Marked Shotguns civilian shotguns were commonly used by both the infantry and cavalry.
Many of the guns adopted for infantry use were modified for military service. These modifications typically involved the installation of sling swivels, and some even included the addition of a custom bayonet lug. The guns adapted for the mounting of bayonets are extremely rare as most of the bayonets and bayonet mounting lugs were custom fabricated specifically for the gun to which they would be mounted.
This particular example has no swivels BUT it does feature a custom bayonet lug. The bayonet lug on this gun is nearly identical to the lugs found on shotguns altered by Cook & Bros of New Orleans. These altered shotgun feature prominently in Prichard's Confederate and Southern Agent Marked Shotguns and can be found listed on pgs. 44-53. The lug matches the barrel perfectly in terms of condition and appears original to gun, however we make no claims about this gun's wartime use as we were not able to secure any documentation tying this gun with any particular Confederate unit. Still, despite a lack of documentation, it does have all the hallmarks of a Confederate altered shotgun; including the fact that it was made by Isaac Hollis & Sons - a Birmingham gunmaker that supplied a number of small arms to the Confederacy included P1853 Enfield rifle muskets.
The condition of this shotgun is good. The barrels and ribs are all sounds with no splits or areas of separation, and the stock is sound with no chips or cracks.
The locks have some light border engraving and "ISAAC HOLLIS & SONS" engraved on each of them. The hammers hold solid on full and half cock.
The barrels are 30" long, 12 gauge. The words "LONDDON FINE TWIST" stamped on the top rib. The bores are dark and uncleaned with even rust and pitting throughout.
