European Side by Side SxS Double 16 Ga Pinfire 9 5/8” Shotgun, Antique

European side-by-side double barrel pinfire shotgun in 16-gauge with 9 5/8? barrels—likely dating to the mid-19th century. The pinfire system, patented by Lefaucheux in 1835, uses cartridges with a small pin protruding from the side. When struck by the hammer, it ignites the primer within—an early innovation before centerfire and rimfire cartridges became dominant. These shotguns were especially popular across continental Europe (France, Belgium, Germany) between the 1850s–1890s, mainly in 16- and 12-gauge formats. This is a side-by-side 16 Gauge pinfire shotgun that was likely made during the mid-19th century. The pinfire cartridge was designed by Casimir Lefaucheux and remained popular until the 1870s when the centerfire cartridge superseded it. The gun has wear typical of an antique.