Stephen Grant & Sons, 67a St James's Street, London
12 bore Bar Action, Sidelock Ejector
no. 6492 (no. 1 of pair)
 Date of manufacture: 1893

  
     

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Heritage Guns' Comment

This is a superb example of a Best London sidelock ejector from this highly respected gunmaker, made in the heyday of the British gun trade. Although undoubtedly a Grant gun, details of its internal mechanisms suggest that the gun was actioned in the workshop of John Robertson.
Robertson became the proprietor of Boss & Co in 1903, having been a partner in the company since 1891 but maintained his factory at George Yard where he made guns for Boss and many others of the leading London makers, moving to Ham Yard in 1899. According to Donald Dallas, Robertson's trade actions were very distinctive in having an angular internal junction between top strap and action. Also, his locks were unusual in using his own hook design for an interceptor sear as opposed to the Block Safety used by Holland & Holland and Scott. Furthermore, the design of his favored safety slide detent mechanism, a variation on the 'over-centre' system, appears in all his patent specifications drawings although not mentioned in the text. Lastly, the ejector mechanism is the functional equivalent of provisional patent no 11623 of 1887, produced by the collaboration of Henry Holland and John Robertson. All these features can be found in Grant gun no. 6492.
The action is delightfully engraved and in fabulous condition. The stock has been professionally replaced by a skilled stocker at some time and is nicely figured and with excellent dimensions. The original 30” Whitworth steel barrels were re-proofed for 2 3/4" nitro cartridges in 1966.
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.
Presented in a modern lightweight leather case of ‘toe under barrels’ design with some accessories and a new AG&L Stephen Grant & Sons trade label.

A truly lovely gun at only £6490

The action is of traditional bar action sidelock design and features:
Top lever opening, operating a 'Purdey Bolt' via a 'Scott Spindle';
Double triggers bolted by an automatic top tang safety slide;
9 pin bar action locks; Interceptor sears:
 Roger's cocking levers; Disk set strikers;
Coil spring ejectors tripped by slides in the bar of action;
Anson's push rod forend catch.
Gun weight 6lb 12oz       The gun balances on the hinge pin.
Engraving style Very Best fine foliate scroll.
Finely carved action bar. Fluted fences engraved with Acanthus leaf.
Gold inlaid SAFE. Triggerguard, top rib and ejector box all engraved ‘1’.
Barrels engraved ‘SIR JOSEPH WHITWORTH FLUID PRESSED STEEL’.
Locks signed ‘STEPHEN GRANT & SONS’.
Trigger pulls measure approximately: Front trigger 3 ¼ lbs Rear trigger 4 ½ lbs
The original Whitworth steel barrels are 30 1/8" 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 2 ¾” nitro powder cartridges in 1966.

Approximate barrel measurements at date of publication:

Nominal Proof Size
Bore Diameter 9"
from Breech
Minimum Wall Thickness
Choke Constriction

Right Barrel
0.729"
0.736"
0.022"
0.004" (Sk)
Left Barrel
0.729"
0.735"
0.024"
0.009" (IC)

The Straight Hand Stock and Splinter Forend are crafted from well figured walnut. The stock is lightly cast-off for a right-handed shot, features well defined drop points, a vacant white metal oval and is finished with a 1” leather covered recoil pad.
The forend features a finely engraved steel tip.

Well Figured Walnut

The approx. 22 lines per inch chequering has been refreshed to its original 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 luster, 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 3/8"
14 3/8"
14 3/8"
14 5/8"
Drop at Comb
Drop at Face
Drop at Heel
1 1/2"
1 9/16"
1 7/8"
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:

Roger's cocking levers patent no 397 of 1882;
 'Purdey Bolt' patent no. 1104 of 1863:
 'Scott Spindle' patent no. 2752 of 1865;
 Holland & Robertson's ejector patent 11623 of 1887;
 Anson's forend fastener patent no. 3791 of 1872.