Zulu 12 gauge shotgun

[mountainbull]

anybody seen one of these? I just got it last week, when I checked the Google it is a civil war musket converted to 12 ga shotgun shells.
Done in Belgium and sold in Africa
To cool to pass up, anyone have any info?
It was converted from muzzle load to breach load with firing pin

 

[popper]

That is one of several 'action' designs kinda like a falling block. Somebody in Mich is making new receiver castings for them.

 

[Glenn B]

I have seen them before, read about them before and talked to folks who have owned one before. Based on what little I have gathered about them, I'd strongly recommend you never try to shoot it. One thing to bear in mind is these were - at first muzzle loading rifles. They were converted to breech loading rifles. Then later, they were converted to shotguns. Shooter beware. I think they were French rifles at first, but when converted to shotguns, the work was done in Belgium (not sure about that last part but it's what I have heard or read about them).

Some seemingly decent info aout the rifles here that also mentions the shotgun conversion: https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2020/5/19/this-old-gun-french-tabatiere-rifled-musket/

Probably one of the more informative pieces on this gun that you can find on the Internet. Well, informative maybe except for price. I say that because the Zulu guns frequently sell for about $150 and that is currently during this ammo & gun buying frenzy. Of course, you can go to GunBroker where a couple will be seen to have been sold at around $300 each and where one is currently being offered at $1,099.00 (someone would have to be bat-shit eating crazy to pay that). In 2019, they were going for a top dollar of maybe $90 or $100 in fair to good condition for an antique firearm. Maybe the author of that piece is correct and the rifles sell for upwards of $875 but In find it difficult to believe one converted to shotgun would bring anywhere near that much; unless as I mentioned, someone was out of their mind.

 

[V-Tach]

I have the remnants of one...no stock but everything else. One day I might put effort in to finding a stock, but have zero interest in shooting it........

Yours looks to be a nice example..........

 

[mountainbull]

Thanks for the info Glenn, I bought this because it looked interesting and had never seen one.
I don't intend to shoot this, it will be a wall hanger-conversation piece

 

[Tomv9]

I have one. Picked it up a few years ago in a pawn shop. I thought it was an interesting piece. I have never fired it but do enjoy the looks of it. Hope you enjoy yours.