Another 12 gauge double barrel. Another 12 gauge double barrel made by T Barker handed down by my grandpa can not find a serial number any idea where I should look and who is this gun manufacture. Submitted: 7 years ago. Feb 15, 2008  Can anyone help me identify the age of an older model shotgun? Can anyone help me identify the age of an older model shotgun? As such, they really have any collector's value. Also note back then serial numbers weren't even used or required as yet so the number on your shotgun is a 'batch' or 'run' number, not a serial number.

Shotguns marked 'T BARKER' were sold by various hardware store and catalog stores in c.1880-1910 (or so). They were generally imported from Belgium and distributed by the H&D Folsom Co. Look for the telltale Belgian proofmark underneath the barrels and on the water table (flat part of the frame where the barrels meet the frame). The proofmark is the letter 'E' over 'LG' in an oval or variant thereof. These shotguns were designed to be utility shotguns and were low priced when they were new. Nothing has changed today, and their value is strictly whatever somebody will pay to have something hanging on the wall.

Under no circumstances should a T BARKER shotgun be fired. The barrel construction is almost certainly a twisted-wire construction and the pressure curve of modern shells (even 'low-brass') can certainly cause the barrels to come apart. We see them listed at auction constantly with price tags from $200-$300, but they never sell.

Realistically, that's about $100 high. There are some nutballs out there like me who collect hardware store guns, though. What it's worth and what it will cost to buy one are two different things. I have a Browning Citori skeet, Baikal 27em-ic-m and an Italian made fausti, can't hit anything with the fausti due to the fact it doesn't fit.

The baikal and the browning have exactly the same point characteristics. The baik al can be bought for as little as $300 if you look around. Bugatti. But It's worth at least as much as a well worn Browning to me. That could be as much as $700. I wouldn't want to try to replace it with another cheep over and under. I think the value is great.

Buy one and do as I did, polish the metal and have it reblued as the finish still shows some imperfections out of the box, and refinish the walnut wood. Mine will soon look like a gun equal in quality to my Browning. Don't be afraid to buy one! Answer I completely disagree with the guy who said he would rather have a Baikal than a Browning.

Polish the parts - he's got to be kidding. This is an admission of poor craftsmanship to begin with. Reblue it - I can't believe what I'm readimg. Heck, one might as well get milling tools and make the gun from scratch. I would rather have a Browning on whick all the bluing was worn off, the stock was scarred and worn and had been shot 20,000 times, than a wagon load of Baikals. As far as I am concerned they would just be scrap iron anyway.

Answer The Baikal is worth just as much as any good shotgun in the $500 range. I've been out numerous times with bird hunters with multi-thousand dollar Brownings or others and they missfire or otherwise fail to preform. I've looked at $4000 Brownings that had grind marks and other groves in the chambers and parts. I recently purchased a Remington 870 express magnum which wouldn't even eject the shells on the first firing. Remington Company wouldn't even give me a replacement barrel but made me send the brand new shotgun back to the factory for reboreing the burrs out of the shell chamber.