Rare Antique Whiteny Percussion Shotgun 20 Gauge Circa 1860's

Serial #672, 20 gauge black powder percussion, 32 5/8 inch (cut from a probable original 36”) smooth bore barrel with a fine, dark, slightly rough bore.   This is the Whitney Percussion single barrel shotgun manufactured from 1866-1869 with surplus 58 caliber rifled barrels that were reamed out to smoothbore.  Quantities were quite limited and few of these single barrels survive today.  This example is nicely marked on the barrel top “WHITNEY ARMS CO. WHITNEYVILLE CONN”  with a blue/ brown patina having scattered freckling.  It is missing the butt plate and has a replaced trigger-guard and now ill fitting ramrod that may have been original before the barrel was cut.    The stock and forearm appear original with correct matching numbers on the butt and are solid with a stable crack below the top of the comb.  The action functions holding at half and full cock.  A rare and interesting piece of post Civil War firearms history.