Midland Gun Company

[pelle]

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Gentlemen.
Do you have any information on this company? I have a boxlock double rifle by this company.It`s a non ejector .475 N.E Address says "Midland Gun Copany,Birmingham & London" It`s in great original condition,with an extra set of barrels in caliber .280 Flanged.Lokks like a Webley action with dollshead,nice engraving.Any help??

[Grumpy]

From the Internet Gun Club:

Midland Gun Company was established in 1888 at 77 Bath Street, with additional premises in Price Street. The founders of the firm are not known, but their intention was to compete with others, such as BSA, for good quality economically priced machine made guns.
By 1902 the company was owned by H Ludlow England who, in that year, bought Holloway's shareholding in Holloway & Naughton.

The company may have left the Price Street works in 1890 and moved to 81 Bath Street, but in 1900 they were recorded back in Price Street (at No. 81?). These and some subsequent changes of address may reflect changes of the principal offices of the company rather than actual acquisition and disposal of premises.

In 1910 the company was recorded at 77 Bath Street, and by 1930 it had taken over the adjoining property of 76 Bath Street. It seems that by this time the factory was called the "Demon Gun Works"; the company had adopted a naked male demon as its logo (engraved on the butt plate), they applied the name "Demon" to their top grades of guns and cartridges.

At about this time (1930) the company had an office in London, and they sold a wide range of guns, pistols and shooting equipment by British (BSA rifles) and foreign manufacturers. They had a small wholesale export market, and they made components e.g. actions for the trade.

Between 1937 and 1945 the company moved to 74 Whittall Street, but it may have retained the 77 Bath Street premises.

In 1952, the company, then a shadow of its former self, was bought by Parker-Hale. Some reports say that the company traded until the early 1960s, other older reports state that Parker-Hale continued to use the Midland name on its guns up to about 1970.

Midland guns were at the lower end of the market - and your gun might well have been built by Webley & Scott.
See also :
http://www.birminghamgunmuseum.com/inde ... un_Company

[Grumpy]

Large calibre double rifles were/are very rarely made with ejectors - like single triggers, they could fail at an inopportune moment.
Is the rifle a .475 NE or a .475 No.2 NE ?
If a .475 NO.2 NE it will have been regulated with one of two loadings - .475 No.2 Eley or .475 No.2 Jeffery.
The actual cartridge used in double rifles can be a so-and-so to identify - For example I can`t remember how many different .500 black powder and nitro express chamberings there are but the likelyhood is that a gun will be stamped .500" only .... with no further details apart from the black powder or nitro proof marks. In the case of the .475 No.2 the two loadings are based on the same cartridge .... but with different powder charges and bullet weights. The gun will shoot either quite safely but if regulated for the other accuracy will suffer. The .475 NE has a different case and is somewhat less powerful than the No.2. All three are very able dangerous game calibres.
Looks like the barrels need to be polished and reblacked as they`re a very sad grey.

[pelle]

Hi again
Thanks Grumpy,for the info.It`s a .475 N.E straight case,not the .475 no 2.Yes,it would benefit from a reblacking .I wonder who could have made it?The serial number is 50712.Is there any records from Midland Guns out there?
Regards
Pelle

[brihacharan]

Oh it was music to my ears to hear the name Midland - Birmingham UK....
For several years I owned a Midland 12 gauge shotgun...
32" barrel - One choke & another cylinder
3/4" chambers
Non ejector with automatic safety
In spite of the long barrel I could easily take successful wing shots (well balanced gun)
While the choked barrel took bird shots & buck shots - The cylinder took single ball with ease.
My eyes got moist when I had to part with it (since the day hunting was banned) the proceeds partly funded the purchase of a new house for the family.
Wherever she is now - Hope she is in good hands
Briha

[Vikram]

Interesting double,Pelle.

.475#1 and .280 flanged, slightly unusual these days but would cover anything that walks or runs either towards you or away from you.One rifle combo for Africa. Planning to give some TLC to the rifle? Thanks for sharing.

Best-
Vikram

[Grumpy]

Strange, I thought I`d mentioned the company records..... but obviously not. I have a vague memory of hearing/reading that the Midland records had gone into American or Canadian ownership and of them being destroyed in a fire.

[pelle]

Hi again.
Thanks for all information.I will not do anything to the rifle,in fact I will sell it as I do not have any use for it.The rifle came to me in a trade,with brass,dies,bullets etc.I have a couple of german double rifles,in 8mm,and .375.I have allways wanted a British double,but now I am not so shure......The feeling,and balance is simply not there.To light in the front,the barrels points to the sky for every shot.Seems to me they should have added an inch or two to the length.I`ll stick to the germans in this case...Value?? In the US it would fetch some money,here in Norway,maybe 30K,(3100,-GBP)

[Grumpy]

It would make some money in the UK as well.
Any `Africa` calibre double rifle is worth money.
Refurbished and generally tidied-up it would make a good price ..... a LOT more than £3.1k.
If you`re used to German medium calibre double rifles, English guns won`t appeal to you .... The German used to do unnecessary weight and peculiar handling as standard. It`s taken Merkel so long to produce a good handling and good looking double but they`ve finally managed it .... and at a good price - the new Merkels are a bargain.
The Heyms are even better - and good value as well.

[Vikram]

here in Norway,maybe 30K,(3100,-GBP)

That's really cheap, especially when it comes with a spare barrel set!


Best-
Vikram

[Grumpy]

The .280 Flanged is the rimmed version of the .280 Ross which was discussed on another thread recently - a useful second calibre.
Is there a local agent for Holts ( or Sotheby`s.... or Christies ) in Norway because that would make shipping it to the UK for auction much easier where the rifle would make much more than £3.1k. It is worth having the rifle tidied-up for resale.
Yup - Holts agent in Norway is :

Tel: 0047 915 96296
[email protected]

[pelle]

Hi again
I will send the rifle to my gunsmith,and have it checked,serviced,and maybe reblacked.I will also contact Holt`s agent (I think I`ve met him before??..) to see if we can get the rifle to London.I know it`s gonna fetch a better price there,but it all depends on the costs,export ,shipping etc.Norway is not an EU member,so therefore it is more difficult\expensive to ship guns.I use to buy a lot of guns in Britan some years ago.Back then it would cost me,lets say.150-180 GBP to get them home .This price has trippeled.Also new gun restrictions makes it more difficult.But anyway,we`ll see how it ends....
Regards
Pelle