John Blanch and Son, 29 Gracechurch Street, London
12 bore Back action, Sidelock Ejector
no. 5703.
Approximate date of manufacture: 1887-1896, probably around 1890.

Click on these images for more detail.

Heritage Guns' Comment This gun represents an example in unusually fine condition of the early hammerless guns that were becoming more accepted in the last quarter of the 19th Century and a rare chance to buy a gun retailed by this less-well known gunmaker. The gun was beautifully restocked around 2001 with a very fine piece of exhibition grade walnut and this coupled with the sensitive restoration makes it a very pretty and highly 'shootable' gun for either game or clays. This gun comes complete with a brass cornered, leather case in very sound external condition with new handle and straps. Internally, the case has been relined with new 'Burgundy' all wool baize, carries an original 'maker's label and is fitted out with ebony and brass tools including 3 turnscrews mounted in a hand made oak block and a two-part cleaning rod. The case is further equipped with a spare set of dedicated strikers in a horn striker pot, pewter oil bottle and set of cleaning tools in a leather wallet. The Heritage Guns' package would not be complete without a unique leather bound Companion and a hand crafted pair of personalised Heritage Guns Damascus snapcaps. WE REGRET THAT THIS GUN IS NOW SOLD. IF YOU ARE SEARCHING FOR A SIMILAR GUN, PLEASE CONTACT US.

The action is of W & C Scott & Co design and features:
Double triggers bolted by an automatic top tang safety slide,
Back action locks,
Interceptor sears,
Top lever opening, operating a 'Purdey Bolt' by way of a 'Scott Spindle',
Three point bolting including top extension,
Tumbler and sear ejectors to 'Deeley'/'Perkes' design tripped by cocking rods running from the action knuckle to the breasts of the tumblers.
Gun weight 6lb 11oz
Engraving style Creeping vine border with bold foliate panels.
Trigger pulls measure approximately: Front trigger 4 1/2lbs Rear trigger 4 1/2lbs

The barrels are 28" in length, chambered for 2 ¾" (70mm) cartridges and are of brazed 'dovetail' lump construction with soft soldered ribs. All barrel parts other than the lumps and top rib extension are of bold, well figured 'Damascus' laminated steel. Top rib is of the smooth, concave, game type.
London reproof for 70mm nitro powder cartridges in 2003.

Approximate barrel measurements at date of publication:

Straight Hand Stock and Splinter Forend are crafted from exhibition grade walnut. While the forend is most probably the original wood, the gun was restocked in the year 2000 after an accident in which the stock was badly cracked at the hand. The stock is cast off for a right-handed shot.

The 20 lines per inch chequering is to normal J Blanch design of fully chequered forend with a narrow unadorned border and a stock pattern that closely follows the outline of the lock plate.
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:

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:
Perkes' cocking rod patent no. 1968 of 1878,
Deeley ejectors patent no. 14526 of 1884,
Perkes' ejector patent no. 10679 of 1886,
Scott's gas check patent no. 617 of 1882,
'Purdey Bolt' patent no. 1104 of 1863,
'Scott Spindle'patent no. 2752 of 1865,
Scott's top extension patent no. 1902 of 1875,
Perkes' interceptor sear patent no. 3049 of 1883,
Scott's forend fastener patent no. 615 of 1876
and last but not least
Henry's snap cap patent no. 3257 of 1870.