Rifleman Q & A: Belgian Inheritance

by
posted on June 26, 2018
belgian.jpg

Q: This shotgun belonged to my father, and I inherited it when he passed away. I found a box of 10-ga. ammunition for it, though I have yet to chamber and fire a shell through it. I’ve been told it kicks like the proverbial mule. The gun has been inspected and cleaned by a local gunsmith, and he mentioned he had never seen or worked on a Parkhurst side-by-side before. My dilemma is, I don’t have a clue as to the rareness or collectability of this shotgun, and would like to know a little more about what I’ve inherited.

A: Your William Parkhurst shotgun was made in Belgium. A submitted photo of the proofmarks, found on the barrel and action flats, would have verified its origin. Almost all were made by Simonis, Janssen, Dumoulin y Cie in Liege, Belgium, for import by American hardware stores, mail-order houses and gun shops between 1893 and 1914. They sold in the $12 to $15 range.

Your gunsmith did a fine job cleaning it up, but seemed to omit some vital information. From the photos, your shotgun appears to have Damascus, laminated or twist-steel barrels. The proofmarks will indicate proofing with blackpowder, whose chamber pressures are in the low 9,000-p.s.i. range. Furthermore, he should have measured the length of the chambers, as in all probability this gun is chambered for 2 78" shells, and the ammunition you have is probably for 3½" chambers and shotguns made of modern steel with a service pressure of 11,000 p.s.i.

Because of this shotgun’s age, Damascus-style barrels and lack of sourcing for repair parts, I would not fire it under any circumstances unless it is first examined and declared safe by a gunsmith familiar with similar old double guns.

--John M. Taylor

Latest

 American Revolution painting
 American Revolution painting

The Shot Heard Round The World: The Arms & Events Of April 19, 1775

April 2025 marks 250 years since the momentous events at Lexington and Concord—the opening salvos of the American Revolution. Today, exhaustive research of primary accounts and surviving firearms and artifacts give us a clearer picture of what really happened.

Gun Of The Week: Browning Citori 825 Field

Learn about Browning's latest version of the famed Citori shotgun, the Citori 825 Field, in this week’s range video.

The Armed Citizen® April 18, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

"The Shot Heard Round The World:" 250 Years Later

On April 19, 1775, simmering tensions between Great Britain and her colonists erupted into warfare with the engagements at the Massachusetts towns of Lexington and Concord.

Watchtower Firearms Re-Organizing

Watchtower Firearms, a veteran-owned firm based in Texas filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection in late February 2025 to restructure and re-organize its financial structure.

The Road To Revolution: 250 Years Later

The militiamen who stood in defiance on Lexington Green are the first who fired upon the British regulars, but the road to revolution was paved long before gunfire erupted on that cold April morning in Massachusetts.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.