Wells Fargo 12ga
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You are currently reading a thread in /k/ - Weapons
You are currently reading a thread in /k/ - Weapons
Alright, I know this is a longshot, but I'm calling on the ghost of Meplat for some help.
I'm currently at a gun auction and have stumbled over what appears to be a old wells fargo shotgun.
All of these markings are on a Winchester 1887. We all know what that looks like. I've taken photos of any markings I could see on the shotgun instead.
Does anyone know anything about these, and if so, is this a fake? I need to know, as I intend on purchasing it very soon.
Dumping 4 pics.
Brass stamp on the grip area of the gun. I have higher resolution pictures it that helps anyone.
>>28388561
Possible coach gun for Wells Fargo , that's badass
Other side of the stock, which apparently says
SPECIAL AGENT
JOHN HELM
NO37
Last photo is the left side of the receiver. This stamp doesn't ring any bells with me, Im currently researching it now but Im stuck on my shitty phone.
Stamp appears to say "RAo" or possibly "RWAo"
So if a few of you other nuckleheads want to help me out that would be awesome. If it is real, I intend on buying it
Help me obi /k/, you're my only hope.
I'm gonna go ahead and call bullshit.
>no dirt in lettering
>lettering is deep, clean, and clear
>brass plate looks shallow and unweathered
>pitting removed from receiver lowers value regardless of authenticity
I don't know anything about these types of guns, but all my rifles pre-1950 are in much worse condition than that. Unless this was really well preserved, its probably fake. Do some googlefu tho anon.. Godspeed
>>28388636
Honestly thats what I'm leaning towards as well, but I figured I'd get some more input before I decided for myself. Worst case scenario we all get to look at a forgery together!
It would be pretty amazing if it were real though, I like cowboy action guns, and having something from that period with that historical value would be pretty tight.
I'm working up some new pictures right now as well.
I don't think Wells Fargo used the whole name on most markings. Only initials and the agent name is very suspicious. Never see that.
>>28388599
Winchester Repeating Arms
>>28388561
Looks too clean. What do the other guns this guy has look like? Cheap shit or nice?I'd lean fake, way too pretty.
That being said I just handled a 1908 winchester model 1894 that did look older than a decade the other day, closer guns and all
>>28388561
Probably an ornamental job that was up on the wall or in a display case in one of their offices somewhere. The font is probably bigger so people could see the writing. It does not look period.
>>28388574
Those stamped letters look like they were stamped over dents and scratches. Mag glass will help.
Looks like a really old 87 that somebody ruined and doctored up as a fake. Might be real but most likely fake, especially since there's no documentation
Four more pictures.
"WF&CO" on left side of barrel near receiver.
>>28388691
Heres a full pic of gun, and table, as requested.
I was hoping that I had found a diamond in the rough, although I'm not convinced its real.
Zero provenance, although from what I've been able to look up that's kind of a hard thing the achieve with these guns.
>>28388672
...meh, looks fake as fuck
did people even put individual names on guns???
still looks cool
offer $100 for that forgery
Serial # with "WF&CO" obviously later punched in. From what I understand Wells Fargo had no centralized purchasing of any gun, and was left up to whatever office decided to use. Also, some couriers appeared to have purchased their own.
Final pic for now, from underneath the cocking handle (lever... action).
So I'm feeling that the common consensus is that this is a forgery?
I wonder if it would make a decent shooter?
>>28388723
Now those marks look legit. Maybe someone took an actual WF shottie and added more markings? WTF.
>>28388744
Might have been added by a previous owner for Cowboy Action Shooting. Another possibility presents itself in the shape of the gun being used as a movie prop with an uncannily keen eye for small details.
>>28388727
Those cringy as fuck buttons
>>28388817
Yeah OP, if that was a legit WF shottie it would be at Bonham's not some former K-mart fudd gun show.
>>28388727
Honestly looks like a modified wall hanger or even a movie or TV show show prop.
Call it an obvious fake, get it down to dirt cheap on price and wall hanging it.
Have you researched the agents name? Might be on imdb
>>28388990
Not OP. Did. And it's not.
99% of these are fake, and too many markings makes me highly suspicious.
>>28389066
That's too bad, it really does look like a movie or TV show prop with the enlarged name and all.
I wonder if it is fake when the forgery took place, I know sometimes the older the fake the slight tick in value.
How much did the guy want?
John Helm prolly some fag who wanted to pretend he was ultra secret agent cowboy and added all the extra shit.
Wells Fargo has no records. There is really no way to authenticate a "Wells Fargo" gun, except by chance - like, John Jones, Wells Fargo agent in Boot Hill, SD, wrote in his diary that he was issued Colt Single Action SN 12345, or a S&W Factory Letter tells you that your Schofield was part of a shipment of six that were shipped to Wells Fargo & Co., Tombstone AZ.
Wells Fargo had no "company issued guns". When a local office needed guns, they went down to the hardware store and bought some. They might mark it. They might not. They might mark it WF&C, WF&Co, Wells Fargo, Wells Fargo Freight, or anything else that crossed their minds.
Unless you have iron-clad documentation for the guns entire lifetime since it came into Wells Fargo's hands, any discerning collector will blow it off as a fake.
I'd still buy it at the right price.
>stock looks 100 years old
>stampings in stock look like they were done yesterday
FAKE.
>>28389174
SASS uses nicknames. John Helm doesn't sound like SASS nickname.
Buy it, use it to rob a Wells Fargo bank
>>28388733
Are you serious? Yes people had names engraved on firearms all the time back in the day. They were often pretty substantial investments and it wasn't at all uncommon to have some factory engraving done
>>28388817
>rebel flag
>cringy
Spot the cuck
Fake. I've seen those exact same brass shield plates on phony reproduction padlocks.
