what is it?

shooter · Post by **shooter** » Mon Sep 17, 2007 8:50 pm

hi this post was long overdue and im sure vikram and grumps must be wondering if i was going to post this at all.

i had gone to meet vikram and while visiting a gunshop in birmingham, we came across a gun whose make and origin the gunshop owners were discussing and wondering about.

can anyone guess the make or even what it is.

p.s. vikram ure not allowed to answer. will give hint after 3 days.

YouTube · Post by **mundaire** » Mon Sep 17, 2007 9:00 pm

If I'm not mistaken "BV" means that it was proved at the Birmingham proof house... the hexagonal barrel and hammer action suggests something built in the early 1800's and perhaps chambered for a black powder cartridge? I'm afraid that's all I can venture...

Cheers!
Abhijeet

Post by **cottage cheese** » Mon Sep 17, 2007 9:24 pm

Hi Shooter,

Assuming the locking lever on the right of the receiver is characteristic of a particular make of gun, I'll put in my wild guess- Cogswell&Harrison?

I'm basing my entire guess (As stupid as it sounds) on the side mounted locking lever. I'd recently blued a C&H shotgun- it had the same lever, though with an inline hammer and not as ornate. It was the collapsible type.

Just a wild guess- Thats about all I can reach

Post by **Grumpy** » Mon Sep 17, 2007 9:31 pm

`BV` was the Birmingham view mark - not the definitive proof.
It`s a back action single barrel with side-lever opening, percussion fence and a wide rib. I can`t see the chamber very well but it appears to be a shotgun - the stock would suggest it was a rifle though. If it is a shotgun it`s a live Pigeon gun.......and I`m pretty sure that it`s been restocked.
It is virtually impossible to say whose name appears on the gun because it`s a proprietary Birmingham action with no patent mark visible.
It was obviously built as a centrefire cartridge gun so can`t be `early 1800s` - some time in the 1870s - maybe early 1880s - is favourite.
If it was a London gun it could have been made by a whole list of gunmakers - Stephen Grant being the gunmaker who persisted with side-lever opening the longest however being a Birmingham gun the most likely London maker to have bought it in is H&H.
Otherwise.......If a Brummagen maker then Westley Richards is probably the most likely maker......or less likely William Powell. Basically I haven`t a clue and can`t give an authoritive opinion. Any suggestion - by anyone - would have to be a guess.

shooter · Post by **shooter** » Mon Sep 17, 2007 9:38 pm

keep em coming guys.

Post by **cottage cheese** » Mon Sep 17, 2007 9:56 pm

I know... I know.... Phoren make SBBL.... or am I still wrong?

Post by **Mark** » Mon Sep 17, 2007 10:03 pm

Whatever it is, it's haunted.

If you look closely you can see two ghosts looking at it!

Post by **cottage cheese** » Mon Sep 17, 2007 10:35 pm

Mark";p="26938 wrote:Whatever it is, it's haunted.

If you look closely you can see two ghosts looking at it!

And they look diabolically evil too

shooter · Post by **shooter** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 8:01 pm

well the 2 'ghosts' are the sales assistants. somehow the glass missed vikram's and my refglection.

Post by **cottage cheese** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 8:13 pm

shooter";p="27115 wrote:well the 2 'ghosts' are the sales assistants. somehow the glass missed vikram's and my refglection.

.....spine chilling evil....

particularly the hand in the foreground... is that yours?

shooter · Post by **shooter** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 8:30 pm

vikram will be pleased to know u find his hand spine chilling.

Post by **Grumpy** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 8:38 pm

Really nice wood isn`t it ?
I think that it has to be a small-bore if a shotgun..........but that is definitely a rifle stock. I dunno......maybe a .360 - .450 BPE ?.......or possibly a Rook rifle even.

shooter · Post by **shooter** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 8:57 pm

the hint for all : plz look closely at the pic of the barrel.

Post by **cottage cheese** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 9:09 pm

shooter";p="27122 wrote:the hint for all : plz look closely at the pic of the barrel.

I could make out only (If its not a pit) something that looks like an 'R'... or maybe I'm legally blind.

Come to think of it.... the engravings appear to be somewhat vintage-desi in taste....

Rodda? another wind guess...

Post by **Grumpy** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 9:36 pm

The engraving is typical English small scroll.

Indians For Guns

Indians For Guns

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