C. Greener Unknown — 12 Gauge

C. Greener Unknown Model 12 Gauge – Vintage Hammer-Fired Shotgun / Wall Hanger

Manufacturer: C. Greener
Model: Unknown
Gauge: 12 Gauge
Action: Break-Action
Ignition: External Hammer-Fired
Condition: Used / Vintage / Project or Display Gun
Configuration: Traditional Double-Barrel Sporting Shotgun
Model Identification: Exact model not confirmed
Known Issues: Dent in right-side barrel approximately 4 inches from muzzle; weak spring on right-side trigger
BigRed’s Assessment: Best considered a wall hanger in its current condition

Here we have an old C. Greener 12 Gauge hammer-fired shotgun.

And this one comes from an era when apparently one hammer wasn't enough.

You wanted to fire a shotgun?

First you manually cocked the hammers like a civilized gentleman.

Then you dealt with whatever pheasant, rabbit, clay target, or disagreement with modernity had brought you outside that afternoon.

No optics.

No polymer.

No Picatinny rail.

No batteries.

Just wood, steel, two exposed hammers, and enough age that we're going to have a very different conversation about this one than we would about a modern shotgun.

Because this particular gun has issues.

BigRed's Take

Old hammer guns have a completely different personality than modern shotguns.

Everything is mechanical.

Everything is visible.

You cock the hammers yourself.

You open the action yourself.

There isn't much mystery about what the gun is doing.

Normally, that's part of what makes these old doubles interesting.

This particular example is marked C. Greener, but we're listing the exact model as unknown because that's what we can responsibly establish.

Could somebody who has spent the last 30 years studying obscure old sporting guns identify exactly what it is?

Probably.

That person is encouraged to email me.

Until then, we're not making shit up.

More importantly, this one has two mechanical/condition issues that need to be stated plainly.

There is a visible dent in the right-side barrel approximately four inches from the muzzle.

The spring associated with the right-side trigger is also weak.

Those aren't little cosmetic footnotes we're burying at the bottom of the description.

They're the reason I personally consider this gun a wall hanger in its current condition.

Could somebody knowledgeable inspect it and potentially determine that repairs are possible?

Sure.

That's somebody else's project.

I'm not selling a century-old hammer shotgun with a dented barrel and weak trigger spring while winking at you and saying, “Eh, she'll probably be fine.”

No.

Hang it on the wall.

Enjoy the history.

Let it be old in peace.

Igor's Official Assessment

Igor looked at the two exposed hammers, then at the dented barrel, and said:

Igor has spoken.

Moving on.

Known Condition Issues

This C. Greener is being sold as a used vintage firearm with known mechanical and barrel-condition concerns.

Specifically:

• Dent in the right-side barrel approximately 4 inches from the muzzle
• Weak spring on the right-side trigger
• Age-related finish loss
• Scratches and handling marks
• Wood wear
• Metal discoloration and wear
• General condition consistent with an old working shotgun

Because of the barrel dent and trigger issue, Frontiersmen Firearms considers this shotgun best suited as a display piece, wall hanger, collector item, or gunsmith project in its present condition.

We are not representing it as ready to fire.

That's important enough to say twice:

This is not being sold as a ready-to-shoot shotgun.

If a future owner intends to return it to firing condition, it should first receive an appropriate inspection and any necessary repair by a qualified gunsmith familiar with vintage shotguns.

And No, We're Not Hiding the Dent

Please look closely at the photographs.

The actual shotgun pictured is the shotgun you're buying.

If there's a dent in the barrel, we're going to tell you there's a dent in the barrel.

We're not calling it:

“Minor period character.”

“Authentic field wear.”

“Rare hand-formed barrel contour.”

It's a fucking dent.

Likewise, a weak trigger spring doesn't become “original vintage trigger feel” because somebody wants another hundred dollars for the gun.

This is exactly why we photograph used guns extensively and describe what we actually see.

A Wall Hanger With Personality

As a display gun, though?

This thing has character.

Old wood.

Old steel.

External hammers.

Traditional double-barrel profile.

The kind of shotgun that looks completely natural hanging over an old fireplace, sitting in a collection of early sporting arms, or being used as an example of how shotguns were built before manufacturers discovered polymer and accessory rails.

It has survived long enough that retirement seems reasonable.

I have guns in the shop that need to go back to work.

This one has earned a chair.

Looking for a Vintage C. Greener Shotgun in Pennsylvania?

If you've been searching for a C. Greener shotgun, vintage hammer-fired 12 Gauge, old double-barrel shotgun, collectible hammer shotgun, wall-hanger shotgun, gunsmith project shotgun, or vintage sporting firearm in Pennsylvania, this one is available at Frontiersmen Firearms in Palmerton, PA.

Frontiersmen Firearms serves Palmerton, Lehighton, Jim Thorpe, Walnutport, Slatington, Carbon County, Northampton County, Monroe County, the Lehigh Valley, and surrounding Northeast Pennsylvania communities.

If you're local, come look at it.

This is exactly the kind of old firearm that's better evaluated in person.

Look at the markings.

Look over the wood.

Inspect the hammers.

And definitely look at the right barrel.

We're not going to distract you with flattering lighting and hope you miss it.

Not From Pennsylvania?

Maybe you searched for an old C. Greener shotgun.

Maybe Google sent you here.

Maybe AI determined the empty space over your fireplace looked suspiciously unoccupied.

Whatever happened, welcome.

Frontiersmen Firearms ships firearms nationwide wherever legal, to an appropriate receiving FFL and subject to applicable federal, state, and local laws.

We'll package it properly, get it headed to your receiving dealer, and keep you informed through the process.

Just understand what you're buying.

This is an old hammer-fired shotgun with a dented right barrel and a weak right-side trigger spring.

We consider it a wall hanger.

No mythology.

No bullshit.

No “probably fine.”

Questions about the markings, condition, barrel dent, trigger, or anything else we can actually inspect?

Ask.

We'll tell you what we know.

We'll tell you what we don't know.

And occasionally the most responsible firearms description really is:

Looks cool. Don't shoot the damn thing.