Help with dating a W.Singer Percussion Shotgun

[Huttles94]

I have just got a old percussion shotgun off the net. Was only £70 as it is in rough shape, I am just going to have it on the wall so it does not bother me. Looks like a nice antique. I know there were two British gunsmiths with the name W Singer (Both William) one in Cardiff and the other in Warminster.

I have taken the barrels off to have a look for a proof mark to help date it. Though the barrels are heavily pitted I did find, what I think, are the remnants of a proof mark. Though I cant quite make it out nor see any other marks (Damn my poor eyesight).

If anyone on here has any idea it would be much appreciated. Here is an image of the proof mark.

https://i.imgur.com/8z6r9bO.jpg


Cheers

[tacfoley]

I have just got a old percussion shotgun off the net. Was only £70 as it is in rough shape, I am just going to have it on the wall so it does not bother me. Looks like a nice antique. I know there were two British gunsmiths with the name W Singer (Both William) one in Cardiff and the other in Warminster.

I have taken the barrels off to have a look for a proof mark to help date it. Though the barrels are heavily pitted I did find, what I think, are the remnants of a proof mark. Though I cant quite make it out nor see any other marks (Damn my poor eyesight).

If anyone on here has any idea it would be much appreciated. Here is an image of the proof mark.

https://i.imgur.com/8z6r9bO.jpg


Cheers

It looks like part of a very badly struck Birmingham proof stamp. Let's see all the other marks, please.

[Huttles94]

That is the only one I can see. I have taken more pictures, here they are:

https://imgur.com/a/xzzy8c6


All I know is W Singer (both of them) were around the mid 1800s

This one is in poor condition and will never fire again (unless someone can make a miracle happen). A few of the screws have head their heads damaged or completely sheared off (not by me) one of the nipples is completely rusted on and the other broke off and had I glued it back on (again, I bought it as a wall hanger so no hate please...Though could be easily knocked off again. Dont know how you would get the bottom half out though). Missing one hammer and the other is broken (I may have a replacement set, wont have the same markings as the originals but at least they are complete) Also missing ramrod but this does not bother me.

[Fronteria]

William Singer who's shop was in the High Street Warminster Wiltshire between 1841 to 1851 which is the most likely candidate as the retailer of your shotgun.
William Singer 27 St. Mary's Street Cardiff Glamorgan Wales 1867
Information from Boothroyds' Directory of British gunmakers.

[enfield2band]

I know its only a wall hanger but it might be useful to stop the rust getting worse.

You could "spool" out the barrel. Get a length of aliminum rod, or something similar, (I use an aluminium tube with a slot cut in the end), and tape a piece of emery paper to it and push it into the barrel. Put the rod in the chuck of an electric drill and set it going. If you go up and down the inside of the barrel it will remove a lot of the rust.
You coud then treat it with something like Jenolite to kill what rust is left.

If you need hammers try going to an Arm Fair. They have all sorts of bits and bobs that you might find useful.