Another mystery for the gang to solve....

Preparedness Depot in Acworth, GA
M

mukwah

Guest
If that's correct then you got me too Skip! The one I shot had a sliding breech action. Pull the lever and the breech slides to the rear. Either way you have a very unique weapon Skip!
 

SkipD

Helper-outer
Jun 8, 2012
703
64
63
77
Southeast Wisconsin
Zip code
53024
Uncle George got it right.

Darne%201892%20-%20Closed%20action%20right%20side.jpg


Darne%201892%20-%20Opened%20latch%20right%20side.jpg


Darne%201892%20-%20Partially%20opened%20action%20right%20side.jpg


Darne%201892%20-%20Fully%20opened%20action%20right%20side.jpg


There could be one more picture, but I didn't make it because I would have needed a helper. If the breech is forced a little more to the right (against a spring), a piece in between the two barrels extracts the two expended shells about 1/4 inch so they can be grabbed and pulled out.
 

SkipD

Helper-outer
Jun 8, 2012
703
64
63
77
Southeast Wisconsin
Zip code
53024
There was an earlier model of the Darne that had a similar rotating breech, but with exposed hammers. I've seen a few photos of those. The Model 1892 (which mine is) was made for a few years and then Darne went to the sliding breech concept which was what mukwah was referring to. I have no idea how many of the Model 1892 shotguns were produced.

A few years ago, I read that the Darne factory burned down sometime in the early 1900s and all of their records were lost. I cannot even find active collectors of these guns on line today to do any more research on my gun. Some folks have written about "matching serial numbers" in as many as five locations. Without disassembling mine, I can only find one number and it's in a very obscure place (on top of the trigger guard and visible only with the breech fully rotated for extraction).

This gun is definitely a conversation piece when someone sees it for the first time.
 
M

mukwah

Guest
I thought I read an article a few years back about machine guns made by Darne during World War I or II, can't remember. Can't seem to find the article now. Very interesting.
 

SkipD

Helper-outer
Jun 8, 2012
703
64
63
77
Southeast Wisconsin
Zip code
53024
rayzer007 said:
How do you engage or "ready" the triggers?
Ray
Cocking the internal hammers is done by the lifting of the handle that unlocks the breech mechanism. It's one action - cocking the hammers and unlocking the breech. Moving the handle to the vertical position both cocks the systems for both barrels and releases the breech so it can be rotated to load (or unload and then load) the chambers.

Mind you, I don't even know if there are internal hammers or possibly spring-loaded strikers in this shotgun. The earlier model had external hammers but this model doesn't have a larger breech mechanism, so I suspect a striker design is what it uses.
 

RICHGCOOP

Marksman
Mar 7, 2010
1,143
71
63
CANTON, OHIO
Zip code
44669
Looks like the ejector is a little different.
What a wonderful gun.
I would be proud to have one like that in my collection.

RICHGCOOP



DROID3 - Tap talk
 

SkipD

Helper-outer
Jun 8, 2012
703
64
63
77
Southeast Wisconsin
Zip code
53024
RICHGCOOP said:
Looks like the ejector is a little different.
Actually, Rich, there is no ejector in this Darne shotgun. It has an extractor (right between the two chambers) but no ejector. When you rotate the breech, the spent shells are pulled back a little over 1/4 inch so you can grab their rims with your fingers to pull them all the way out.
 
M

mukwah

Guest
These shotguns were put together one at a time and hand fitted piece by piece. I think yours would be museum quality! I envy you Skip!
 

jackjr

Woodsman
Jun 10, 2012
133
0
0
SkipD,
Great looking shotgun.
I am guessing you have tried, but just in case, I find that when you have a screw that will not loosen it is best to secure the piece you are working on and then try and tighten the screw beyond where it is. This will break it away from the corrosion that is holding it and it can then be loosened with a tunring back and forth action. Just a thought that works well for me..
 

SkipD

Helper-outer
Jun 8, 2012
703
64
63
77
Southeast Wisconsin
Zip code
53024
jackjr said:
SkipD,
Great looking shotgun.
I am guessing you have tried, but just in case, I find that when you have a screw that will not loosen it is best to secure the piece you are working on and then try and tighten the screw beyond where it is. This will break it away from the corrosion that is holding it and it can then be loosened with a tunring back and forth action. Just a thought that works well for me..
The problem, Jack, is that the screws in this old gun have very narrow screwdriver slots. While I have the ultra-thin tips for my screwdriver set (from Brownell's) that fit the screws, you cannot apply the same kind of torque to them that a more rugged modern screw can take. I'll just leave good enough alone because I'm not going to fire the gun anyway.
 

framedcraig1

no fear...Ruger is here.
Jun 8, 2012
989
0
0
Mapleton,ut
This has been a GREAT thread to follow. I never would have guessed the rotating chamber angle..Love it. Beautiful wood there bud. What a nice piece...thanks for the share.
 

SkipD

Helper-outer
Jun 8, 2012
703
64
63
77
Southeast Wisconsin
Zip code
53024
I just wish I knew the history of the shotgun as related to my family. All I really know is that my grandfather had it when he passed away. I had never seen it before then. My grandmother gave it to me.