Stephen Grant, 67a St James's Street, London
12 bore Back Action Hammergun
No. 3621, No 2 of pair
Date of manufacture: 1874

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Heritage Guns' Comment

This is a superb example of a Rotary Underlever hammergun from this highly respected gunmaker, made when hammerguns were rapidly developing in terms of design and aesthetics. Built as one of a pair, at some point after its sale most of its parts were copper plated and although much has worn away, there are still vestiges of it in nooks and crannies.
We have seen a few guns that have had this treatment and they have usually been dedicated to use in salt-water environments such as wildfowling or put to use as so called 'cripple-stoppers' with punt guns. Anyway, the end result is a gun that was never corroded like so many of its age and the metal parts are beautifully preserved.
The 30" barrels have been re-proofed for 2 ¾" nitro cartridges and this all adds up to a strong gun that is a joy to shoot and should give many years of service on game or clays with normal maintenance.

WE REGRET THAT THIS GUN IS NOW SOLD. IF YOU ARE SEARCHING FOR A SIMILAR GUN, PLEASE CONTACT US.

 

The action is of traditional back action sidelock design and features:
Percussion fences,
Best Foliate Scroll engraving,
Extended top tang,
Jones Rotary Underlever,
Double triggers,
Stanton rebounding back action locks,
Cross bolt forend fastening.
Gun weight 7lb 1/2oz
Engraving style Best foliate scroll. No. '2' is engraved on forend, trigger guard and top rib.
Trigger pulls measure approximately: Front trigger 3 1/2lbs Rear trigger 4 1/2lbs
The Damascus barrels are 30" in length, chambered for 2 3/4" (70mm) cartridges and are of brazed 'through' lump construction with soft soldered ribs. Top rib is of the smooth, concave game type.
London reproof for 70mm nitro powder cartridges in 2012.

Approximate barrel measurements at date of publication:

 
Nominal Proof Size
Bore Diameter 9" from Breech
Minimum Wall Thickness
Choke Constriction
Right Barrel
18.8mm
(0.740")
0.740"
0.024"
0.005" (Skeet)
Left Barrel
18.8mm
(0.740")
0.739"
0.025"
(small patch at 0.017", 6" from muzzle near top rib)
0.004" (Skeet)

Straight Hand Stock and Splinter Forend are crafted from highly figured walnut. The stock is cast off for a right-handed shot and features a white metal oval engraved with a swallow like bird and 1" leather covered recoil pad. The forend has a finely engraved steel tip and 2 inlet repairs to its edges.
Highly Figured walnut

The 20 lines per inch chequering is freshened to normal backaction 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 5/8"
14 3/4"
14 7/8"
15 1/2"
Drop at Comb
Drop at Face
Drop at Heel
1 1/2"
1 3/4"
2 1/4"
Cast at Comb
Cast at Heel
Negligible
1/8" (approximate)

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:
Stanton's rebounding lock patent no. 367 of 1867,
Jones rotary underlever patent no. 2040 of 1859.