The barrel rib is marked Fine Laminated Steel, due to this the barrels were probably imported.

I tried enhancing the picture to see the pattern of the Laminate but it wouldn't show.


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Ken,
That's a really lovely example of an Ethan Allen hinge breech, congratulations! This was a really unique and innovative design. As mentioned, it required the use of a proprietary shell. I love the way the extractor functions. The trigger guard is hinged at the front, by pulling the rearward portion down with the hinged breech open you will see the extractors move rearward thus allowing removal of a spent shell. Most examples I've seen, including mine, have very thin BWT at the muzzles, often referred to as "biscuit cutters".
Very nice higher grade example, thank you for posting!
Ken

Ken you are right about the muzzle wall thickness, I believe choke boring had not been thought of yet as the tubes have no choke. My bore measure about 25 thousandths.

I did a little investigative work and found the patent of this shotgun and still feel that 1865 as the original start date of manufacture.

See the patent for improvements to the design, Patent No. 84,929 granted Dec. 15, 1868.

Why wouldn’t that patent date be added to the patents on the gun? The only patent dates are Nov 9 1858, Sept 16 1860 and Aug 22 1865. I can't imagine Ethan Allen (a prolific gun maker) waiting three years to finally put the gun in production. Just my take.
Ken

The Allen patent in reference is quite interesting . Note that the left side of the receiver, with the hinge, is made out of one piece part of the barrel. Allen had a Patent for making composite barrels in this period.

Offered with these guns was a nice leather pouch containing 6 Allen Patent shells. These shells were similar to other early centerfires. The ones I have seen were steel.

Even more rare were the Allen primers for these shells . They come in a green faced box and examples are quite expensive.

Very cool gun . Looks like you friend did very nice job on the stock repair .

Does that trigger guard rotate like a Jones underlever to take the gun down?