J
Blanch & Son,
29 Gracechurch Street, London
12 bore Bar-action
Hammergun
no. 5517
Date
of manufacture: circa 1888
Click on these images for more detail.
Heritage
Guns' Comment
This lovely hammergun, made by one of London’s most respected
gunmakers, is in quite amazing condition for its age: not only are
the internals in fine condition but also the prolific engraving is
crisp and clear. This gun is drawn from Toby Barclay’s
personal collection of rare and interesting Blanch shotguns.
What makes it so special are the bar-action locks combined with
sidelever and very best engraving, an extraordinarily rare
combination in Blanch guns made before 1900. Until the late
1890’s Blanch used the sidelever and back-action locks as their
preferred mechanisms on nearly all their ‘in-house’ guns, the more
ubiquitous toplever and bar-action locks being relegated to their
‘bought-in’ guns, often of lesser quality. Some rotary underlevers
and occasional thumblever will be seen but the sidelever is the
norm for guns made ‘in-house’. Blanch’s engraving at this time can
be divided into three distinct styles: ‘Creeping Vine’, an open
pattern with around 70% coverage; classic bouquet & scroll giving
about a 85% coverage and 100% bold foliate scroll on their very
best guns, naturally is it the last that adorns this beautiful
gun. This is a most attractive gun with its bold engraving
style and, given its fine balance, strong replacement stock and
stylish sidelever, it would make an excellent gun for upland game
or clays.
WE REGRET THAT THIS GUN IS NOW
SOLD. IF YOU ARE SEARCHING FOR A SIMILAR GUN, PLEASE CONTACT
US.
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The action
is of traditional design and features:
Double bite ‘Purdey Bolt’
operated by a sidelever;
Double triggers; ‘Percussion’ fences;
Low level, ‘Dolphin’ hammers;
Rebounding bar-action locks;
Broad
strikers;
Modified Hollis forend lever catch.
Gun weight 6lb 8oz
Engraving style Best Bold Foliate Scroll. Forend lever
engraved ‘J BLANCH & SON’S IMPROVED SNAP BOLT’.
Trigger pulls
measure approximately: Front trigger 3 lbs Rear trigger 3 ¾ lbs
The replacement Whitworth steel barrels (by the Maker)
are 28" in length, chambered for 2 ½” (65mm) cartridges and are of
brazed 'dovetail' lump construction with soft soldered ribs.
Top rib
is of the ‘swamped’ type with a raised ‘shield’ between the fences.
London reproof for 65mm nitro powder cartridges in 2002.
Approximate barrel measurements
at date of publication:
|
Nominal Proof Size
|
Bore Diameter 9"
from Breech
|
Minimum Wall Thickness
|
Choke Constriction
|
RH Barrel
|
18.8mm (0.740")
|
0.741"
|
0.021"
|
0.008” (IC)
|
LH Barrel
|
18.8mm (0.740")
|
0.741"
|
0.020"
|
0.015" (Mod)
|
The replacement Straight Hand Stock is
crafted from straight grain walnut whilst
the original Splinter Forend is well figured walnut. The
stock has neutral cast, features a vacant white metal oval and a 1
1/4” leather covered recoil pad.
|
Replacement Straight Grain Walnut |
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The 20 lines per inch chequering
has been refreshed to the normal sidelock pattern. The stock is
finished with a traditional linseed oil based preparation as used on
best guns by one of the top English makers. This finish uses no grain
fillers to achieve its deep, smooth lustre, only many hours of
alternate build and flatting off of the surface.
Approximate stock
measurements at date of publication:
Pull to Heel
|
Pull to Bump
|
Pull to Centre
|
Pull to Toe
|
14
3/4"
|
15"
|
15"
|
15
3/8"
|
Drop at Comb
|
Drop at Face
|
Drop at Heel
|
1
3/8"
|
1
5/8"
|
2"
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Cast at Comb
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Cast at Heel
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Negligible
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Negligible
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For the purposes of these measurements,
'Drop at Face' is the 'drop' measurement taken on a line perpendicular
to the
line joining the trigger and centre of the butt at approximately 8"
from the trigger (front trigger on a double trigger gun).
Patents Exhibited include:
'Purdey
Bolt' patent no. 1104 of 1863;
Stanton's rebounding lock patent no. 367 of
1867;
Hollis’s forend catch patent no 953 of 1873.