Fox Collectors

Wanted to share a couple of dog features on a new to me English percussion muzzleloader. She's a 15 bore, 31" barrels and weighing in at a svelte 6 pounds 9 ounces. 1-5/8 by 2-3/8 by 14-1/2" LOP. Ready to hunt. Seems like the older I get the more I enjoy the challenge of hunting with vintage guns.

frank

check out the dog head at the tip of the hammer
last pic shows she was destined to come to me .....

Great pictures and I love the hammers.

nice,very good engraving,dogs head hammers,and monogram ,whats not to love. any idea year made.enjoy,fred

I've seen hammers filed to many shapes ........... gargoyles, dolphins, serpents, etc. But, that's the first dog's head hammer I remember seeing.

Thanks so much for posting that, Frank.

Thanks gents. Some additional info and pics as requested. She's probably 140-150 years old. That silvered round plug in each breech bolster is soft platinum metal and commonly called a "blowout plug" and thought to be a safeguard against a severe overload. Often found on the higher end percussion shotguns and as made each one had a tiny hole about .025" diameter in the center. The hole was actually intended to "air" the powder for faster ignition as was thought to be important back then. Often the owners disbelieved that concept and peened the outer end of hole closed, as both are on this gun.

Yep I'll hunt her for grouse this coming season in a few border covers that aren't too thick. I don't like short 26" barrels but 31" might be a bit much for some of my thickets. I’ll also hunt her for pheasants, ducks and rabbits. frank

Frank, That’s a beautiful gun! There was a gentleman that lived here that was one of the country’s experts on old muzzleloader guns. Larry often hunted waterfowl with those guns. He was a professional bachelor. Larry said he liked investing in stocks that he could get out and play with. Larry had a great sense of humor and day I saw him made it a great day. He is gone now but seeing your gun reminded me of him. Thanks for sharing! John

Great detail on the hammers

The hammers are off the charts, that gun has to make you smile. The creativity of man is incredible. Good luck with it.

Wonderful gun. Those dogs head hammers are over the top.