The Galleries
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- Ancient Firearms
- The Road to American Liberty
- Seeds of Greatness
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- A Nation Asunder
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- Theodore Roosevelt, Elegant Arms
- World War I and Firearms Innovation
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- Freedom's Doorway
A & E Weston (Brighton, England) Side-by-Side Flintlock Shotgun
Elegant and flowing in its lines, this flintlock double fowler represents a well-balanced smoothbore appropriate for the finest of 18th century hunting parties.
Circa 1790 Weston (Canada/England) Flint-lock Double Barrel Shotgun (muzzle-loading/ black powder/ shot ammunition) After the American Revolution ended in 1781, thirteen new States began to steer a common course. This was not easy. A Constitution and a Bill of Rights were not worked out until May, 1788. George Washington became the first president in 1789.
The economy of the United States began to function slowly. In contrast, England's economy returned to full speed, and Canada exported rich furs while importing fine goods. Fine shotguns such as the one displayed here were immediately available for importation. Made circa 1790 by A. & E. Weston of Brighton, Sussex, this gun symbolizes a standard of manufacture that the U.S. would not achieve for several decades. - Dr. William L. Roberts, THE AMERICAN LIBERTY COLLECTION; #27