James MacNaughton,
26 Hanover Street South, Edinburgh
& 44 George Street, Perth
12 bore ‘Edinburgh’ Round Action Ejector
no. 2000
 Year of production: 1898

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Heritage Guns' Comment


This gun is a very fine example of the rare and famous round action shotguns for which MacNaughton is renowned. (And it has a very cool serial number!)
One does not have to look very hard to appreciate the loveliness of this gun. Complete with replacement steel barrels by John Dickson & Son and beautiful original wood of excellent dimensions, this is a very desirable gun.
What is really interesting about the round-action design is that although Dickson is synonymous with the action type, it was actually patented and first used in the UK by MacNaughton. It was then copied by Dickson, which apparently caused some friction between the two Edinburgh gunmakers, although it never came to court and a private settlement is thought most likely. However, the cocking slide and so called ‘gear rods’ are a Dickson patent and were duly copied by MacNaughton: what goes around, comes around!
Our sensitive restoration of this rare gun. excellent stock dimensions and fine nitro proofed replacement barrels make it a very useable, pretty and collectable gun for any connoisseur of Scottish gunmaking.
Presented in a contemporary leather case, which has antique reinforcing on edges and corners, relined in all wool burgundy baize and fitted with a reproduction Maker’s trade label and some accessories.

A classic, beautiful Scottish gun at the fantastic price of only £8990

The action is of MacNaughton’s triggerplate action design and features:
Double triggers bolted by a top tang mounted, automatic swing safety;
Rounded action bar with Dickson’s patent cocking slide and ‘gear rods’; Finely chiselled fences;
Top lever opening, operating a 'Purdey Bolt' by way of a ‘Scott Spindle’;
Removable, metal, striker access plate;
Over-centre ejector system powered by bow springs;
Anson pushrod forend catch.
Loose extractors retained by lug on forend iron (when latched in place).
There is some light pitting to the breech faces.
            Engraving style MacNaughton’s house style of fine scroll with beaded borders.
‘MacNaughton’ & ‘EDINBURGH’ in scrolling banner on fences.
Very possibly engraved by Sumner.
Action flats stamped ‘MACNAUGHTON’, ‘No. 2000’,
‘No. 314’ (patent use number) and ‘PATENT’.
Gun weight 6lb 10oz   
Trigger pulls measure approximately: Front trigger 3 ¾ lbs Rear trigger 4 ½ lb
The replacement steel barrels by John Dickson & Son are 28” in length, chambered for 2 ½ " (65mm) cartridges and are of brazed 'dovetail' lump construction with soft soldered ribs.
The internal bore surfaces are free of pitting or marks.
Top rib is of smooth, concave game type.
Original Birmingham proof for 2 ½” nitro powder cartridges in 1958/1960.

Approximate barrel measurements at date of publication:

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


Right Barrel
0.729"
0.732"
0.029"
0.010" (IC)

Left Barrel
0.729"
0.732"
0.028"
0.028" (IM)

The original Straight-hand Grip Stock and Splinter Forend are crafted from highly figured walnut.
The forend features a finely engraved steel tip and central pin mount. There is an antique repair to the forend’s edge near the knuckle on the RHS. The stock is finished with a 1” leather covered recoil pad, features a vacant white metal oval and is cast-off for a right-handed shot.

Highly Figured Walnut

The 18 lines per inch chequering has been refreshed to its original design.
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 1/2"
14 5/8"
14 5/8"
15"
Drop at Comb
Drop at Face
Drop at Heel
1 1/2"
1 5/8"
2 1/8"
Cast-off at Comb
Cast-off at Heel
1/8" (approximate)
3/16" (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:

MacNaughton triggerplate & safety patent no 2843 of 1879;
Dickson’s cocking slide patent no. 294 of 1880;
'Purdey Bolt' patent no. 1104 of 1863;
'Scott Spindle' patent no. 2752 of 1865;
Anson's forend fastener patent no. 3791 of 1872.