James Lang & Company, 102 New Bond
Street, London
Matched Pair of 12 bore Bar Action, Sidelock Ejectors
No's. 10411 & 10632
Dates of manufacture: 1891 & 1893
Gun No. 1 (10411)
Click on these images for more detail.
Gun No. 2 (10632)
Click on these images for more detail.
Cased Pair
Click on these images for more detail.
Heritage
Guns' Comment
The younger son of the famous Joseph
Lang, James was the prolific inventor of the family and much of
the innovation associated with company of Joseph Lang was actually
designed by James.
James left the family business to set up on his own in 1887 and
guns that carry his name are few and far between. This pair of
sidelock ejectors are therefore very rare beasts indeed and it
is remarkable that they have survived in such good condition.
The earlier of the two guns was rebarrelled in Joseph Lang's workshops
sometime between 1954 and 1972 and the later one restocked at
some point and they make a very handsome pair of Best English
sidelocks in their oak & leather case. The lockwork is by
the famous lockmakers 'Chilton' and the action bars carry an 'E.C.Hodges
Patent' stamp. It is suggested that the Hodges stamp refers to
the novel ejector trip rods that extend from the tumbler pivots
to the knuckle.
Reproofed to 2 ¾" nitro, these are safe and beautifully
balanced tools for game or clays.
WE REGRET THAT
THIS GUN IS NOW SOLD. IF YOU ARE SEARCHING FOR A SIMILAR GUN,
PLEASE CONTACT US.
|
The action is of contemporary
design and features:
Very Best bouquet and scroll engraving with Serpentine fences;
Double triggers bolted by an automatic top tang safety slide;
Bar action locks with cocking indicators;
Roger's patent cocking levers; Disc set, sprung strikers;
Holland & Holland style interceptor sears;
Top lever operating a 'Purdey Bolt' by way of a 'Scott Spindle';
Holland & Robertson's patent ejector, split extractors
and Anson's push rod forend catch.
Gun weights No. 1 6 lb 8 oz No. 2 6 lb 6 ½ oz
Engraving style Very Best Bouquet & Scroll; Finely carved Serpentine
fences; Top lever & top rib with gold inlayed '1' & '2'; Forend
iron similarly engraved.
Trigger pulls measure approximately: No.1 Front & Rear triggers
4lbs, No.2 Front 3 1/2lbs Rear 4 1/2lbs
The steel barrels are 28" in length, chambered for 2 3/4"
(70mm) cartridges and are of brazed 'dovetail' construction with soft
soldered ribs. Top ribs are of the smooth, concave game type.
London reproof for 70mm nitro powder cartridges in 2011.
Approximate barrel measurements
at date of publication:
|
Nominal Proof Size
|
Bore Diameter 9" from Breech
|
Minimum Wall Thickness
|
Choke Constriction
|
10411 (No.1)
|
RH 18.5mm / 0.728"
LH 18.6mm / 0.732"
|
0.730"
0.732"
|
Both 0.030" Minimum
|
0.004" (Skeet)
0.020" (Mod)
|
10632 (No.2)
|
RH 18.6mm / 0.732"
LH 18.8mm / 0.740"
|
0.735"
0.739"
|
RH 0.020" Minimum
LH 0.019" Minimum
|
0.006" (Skeet)
0.012" (IC)
|
Straight Hand Stocks and Splinter
Forends are crafted from highly figured walnut. The forend wood
on 10632 has had a surface repair to the knuckle area. We think that
No.1's stock is original while No.2's is a replacement. The forend woods
look to be original.
|
No. 1
Highly figured walnut
|
|
|
No. 2
Well figured walnut
|
|
The approx 24 lines per inch chequering
has been freshened to normal sidelock pattern. The stocks are cast off
for a right-handed shot, feature vacant yellow metal ovals and well
defined drop points and are finished with horn butt plates secured by
engraved screws.
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 (No.1/No.2):
Pull to Heel
|
Pull to Bump
|
Pull to Centre
|
Pull to Toe
|
14 3/8" (both)
|
14 3/8" (both)
|
14 7/16"/14 1/2"
|
14 15/16"/15"
|
Drop at Comb
|
Drop at Face
|
Drop at Heel
|
1 5/8" / 1 9/16"
|
1 3/4" (Both)
|
2 7/16" / 2 3/16"
|
Cast at Comb
|
Cast at Heel
|
3/16"/1/8" (approximate)
|
3/8"/1/4" (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:
Holland & Robertson's interceptor sears patent no. 5834 of 1887,
Holland & Robertson's ejector patent no. 16691 of 1888,
'Purdey Bolt' patent no. 1104 of 1863,
'Scott Spindle' patent no. 2752 of 1865,
Anson's forend fastener patent no. 3791 of 1872.