American three barrel percussion rifle and shotgun

[breakeyp]

This rifle is unmarked as to maker. What is interesting is that it is a .36-.38 caliber side by side double barrel rifle over a 16 gauge shotgun barrel. The right hammer has a rotating anvil that is swung in line with the shotgun barrel nipple and cap. I think it is a neat item.

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Information

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[Patrick Chadwick]

A very rare beast indeed! How about a few more photos of the mechanism, shwowing how it switches the alignment from the double barrel to the single barrel?

[breakeyp]

Sorry but I won't take an older gun apart unless it needs repair. It is too easy to get things broken fiddly about. best, p.

[browningautorifle]

Very neat indeed...

[Patrick Chadwick]

Severe misunderstanding here. I didn't ask or expect you to take it to pieces !

- I was just hoping for a couple of photos showing it in the two-barrel and single-barrel positions, so that one can see the "rotating anvil" bit. I.e. no more manipulation than a user would employ when switching barrels.

[breakeyp]

Attachment 97496The right hand hammer fires the right rifle barrel in the normal manner. The shank of the hammer has a rotating "anvil" pinned in place. To fire the rifle barrel, the anvil is positioned with the anvil perpendicular to the line of action of the hammer. To fire the shotgun barrel the hammer is cocked and the anvil rotated in to align with the shotgun nipple.

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[tiriaq]

I assume that the single trigger fires whichever lock is cocked? If both are cocked?

[breakeyp]

The hammers do not have a safety notch. The trigger will trip both hammers if cocked.

[tiriaq]

I have an American over/under rifle/smoothbore made by Ogden, Owego, NY. Two back action locks, neither of which has a half cock notch. Double set trigger.
If both hammers are cocked, pressing the trigger will fire the smoothbore barrel; continued pressure will fire the rifle.
If both hammers are cocked, and the trigger is set, the rifle fires first, and continued pressure fires the smoothbore.
If only the smoothbore is cocked, and the trigger is set, touching the trigger results only in a click. Continued pressure drops the smoothbore hammer.
The set trigger engages only the rifle lock.
Without a half cock notch, I assume the gun was carried capped, with hammers down. Don't bump a hammer!
I'm referring to the lower barrel as smoothbore. The gun is heavy, and has a crescent buttplate. It doesn't handle like a shotgun. I imagine it was a deer gun, the lower barrel being loaded with ball and/or buck.