William Moore Muzzle Loading Rifle
TITLE: William Moore Muzzle Loading Rifle
MAKER: William Moore & Company
MADE IN: London, England
CALIBER: .577 Caliber
DATE: ca. 1874
DIMENSIONS: Barrel: 29 ¼” Length: 46 ½” Height: 9”
INSCRIPTION: Serial Number 726 / Barrel: WILLIAM MOORE. MAKER TO HIS LATE MAJESTY – 78. EDGEWARE ROAD LONDON. Action Area (right side): Fallen buck and WILLIAM MOORE. Action Area (left side): Upright buck and WILLIAM MOORE. Fish hammers. Trigger Guard: running buck. Butt: Scrolled plate with 726. Butt (right side): trap door with buck.
CREDIT LINE: Guns from the Browning-Cowan Family
OBJECT ID: 986-12-034
Through the mid-1800s, Damascus barrels were a prominent design feature of shotguns equipped for black powder shells. These distinctive barrels are identifiable from the striking patterns produced by alternating layers of iron and steel.
The barrels were produced by twisting and welding together long strips of steel and iron (which minimized flaws in the metal), flattening out the twisted mass into a ribbon, wrapping it spirally around a rod, and then welding the edges together to form a tube.