R B Rodda Double Barrel 450#2 Nitro Express Rifle

[najeeb_khan]

Hello Friends,

Here are the pictures of my rifle.

This rifle was actually owned by my great grand father.

Only once I had a chance to use this rifle at a shooting range, earlier it was used many time during hunting expeditions by my father, grand father and great grand father.

[najeeb_khan]

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[Vikram]

Najeeb Khan,

That is a very nice looking rifle and a heirloom you have there. Very rare to see guns of this age kept in such tidy condition in India. I am sure you are very proud to own it. BTW, is it possible for you to post the photos of the proof marks? Thank you for sharing the photos.


Best-
Vikram

[Sakobav]

Najeeb
This is amazing rifle and great heirloom agree with Vikram comments

Cheers

[Kittu]

najeeb
beautyful rifle

[najeeb_khan]

Thanks all for the comments.

This rifle is more then 100 years old, I take great care in keeping in good condition.

You might have seen the beautiful engraving on the rifle.

Here in India, very few people know,that there use to be a double barrel rifle, so many times many people asked me after seeing my rifle, which 12 bore gun is this?

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[Biren]

Beautiful & very well kept

Cheers
Biren

[najeeb_khan]

Thanks Biren for your appreciation.

[AgentDoubleS]

What a beautiful rifle, Najeeb. And very well maintained.

[najeeb_khan]

Thanks SS for your appreciation.

I came to know that R B Rodda don't manufacture the weapons themselves, they got their weapons manufactured by others ( Webley Scott, Westley Richards, Holland & Holland or might be others).

Whether this can found, who is the manufacture of this rifle. I hope anyone can help me in this matter.

Thanks and regards
Najeeb

[timmy]

Najeeb, your rifle is a real treasure! There are many nice guns made today, but nothing can equal the hand crafted workmanship, such as your rifle displays, and beautiful wood like that is very rare, as well, unless one parts with a great deal of money. Thank you for posting!

[najeeb_khan]

Thanks Timmy for your appreciation, It is indeed a beautiful rifle.

Many times, many gun shop owner told me to sell this rifle as it's ammunition is not available here, but I rejected their offer even I am not able to use it, as this was purchased by my great grand father.

[TC]

Najeeb Khan,

What a great rifle. These were made for R B Rodda and Co that had its head office here, at Dalhousie Square in Kolkata, during the Raj. Their other branches were in Delhi and at Mumbai port. The dealers in your city are right. Getting black powder ammo is next to impossible these days.

From the looks its quite possible that this rifle was made by Webley & Scott. The manufacturer's name should be marked either on the right of the right barrel or on the underside of the barrel hidden under the fore-part. Or, on the steel rib of the fore-part. But chances of finding a marking on the last mentioned spot, i.e. on the steel rib of the forepart is remote according to my experience. Its possible that the markings were on the barrel and may have become very faint over the years since the rifle was carried and used as per your account. But you could still look for it.

The marking should be like this : "W. & C. SCOTT & SON. LONDON"



TC

[najeeb_khan]

Najeeb Khan,

What a great rifle. These were made for R B Rodda and Co that had its head office here, at Dalhousie Square in Kolkata, during the Raj. Their other branches were in Delhi and at Mumbai port. The dealers in your city are right. Getting black powder ammo is next to impossible these days.

From the looks its quite possible that this rifle was made by Webley & Scott. The manufacturer's name should be marked either on the right of the right barrel or on the underside of the barrel hidden under the fore-part. Or, on the steel rib of the fore-part. But chances of finding a marking on the last mentioned spot, i.e. on the steel rib of the forepart is remote according to my experience. Its possible that the markings were on the barrel and may have become very faint over the years since the rifle was carried and used as per your account. But you could still look for it.

The marking should be like this : "W. & C. SCOTT & SON. LONDON"



TC

Thank you so much TC for the information, I really appreciate

I tried to find the markings, but can't find marking of Webley & Scott as that might have faded due to it's use for so many years.

Cordite ammo is used in this rifle instead of black powder.

My father use to tell, that this was purchased from Kolkata

I am attaching two more pictures. In one picture you can see the grooves.

Thanks again

Regards
Najeeb

[TC]

You are most welcome Najeeb,
It seems the markings have faded completely. But the rifle is in excellent shape, that's important. Love the rifling. Your father was right because these rifles were directly shipped to Kolkata even after the British shifted their capital from here to Delhi. R B Rodda used to transport the large shipments to others parts of the country (and also Burma) by ship or train. If your great grandfather bought it then it must have been in Kolkata. That's what I suspected.

By the way I also meant cordite, sorry for writing black powder.

TC