William Powell & Son, 13 Carrs Lane, Birmingham
20 bore Bar-in-Wood, Bar-action Hammergun
no. 5881
 Date of manufacture: 1874-75

 

    
     

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Heritage Guns' Comment

This gun is in fantastic condition and is a fine example of the bar-in-wood hammerguns that William Powell were famous for. What makes this gun particularly exciting is that it is a 20b, a very rare bore size to exhibit the complete set of Powell patents including lift-up toplever, inlaid strikers, striker extractor mechanism and forend catch.
This represents a very rare opportunity to acquire a small bore English hammergun with all the interesting and innovative features most commonly seen in a 12b and with its Maker’s replacement barrels and excellent dimensions, it would make a lovely gun for clays or upland hunting.
Presented in its dark green baize relined oak & leather case, with some accessories and a reproduction Maker’s label.

A very pretty gun at only £5790

The action is of William Powell’s own design and features:
Double triggers;
Fluted, percussion fences;
Bar action, rebounding locks; Powell style hammers;
Self-retracting, broad strikers with ‘Loaded’ indicators;
Lift-up top lever opening;
Powell’s lever forend catch.
Rebarrelled in 1908-1910.
 Gun weight 5lb 11oz.        
The gun balances 3/8” behind the hinge pin.           
Engraving style Best Foliate Scroll.
Silver inlayed ‘LOADED’ on strikers.
Toplever engraved ‘POWELL’S PATENT’.
Forend catch and striker retractor engraved ‘PATENT’.
 Action flats stamped ‘POWELL’S 1761 PATENT SS’.
Forend iron stamped ‘STEEL’.
Trigger pulls measure approximately: Front trigger 3 lbs Rear trigger 4 lbs
 The replacement steel barrels by the Maker are 28" in length, chambered for 2 1/2” (65mm) cartridges and are of brazed 'dovetail' lump construction with soft soldered ribs.
Top rib is of a broad, smooth, game type.
 Birmingham re-proof for 2 ½”  nitro cartridges in 1980.

Approximate barrel measurements at date of publication:

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

 Right Barrel
0.626"
0.626"
0.024"
0.007" (IC)

Left Barrel
0.626"
0.627"
0.025"
0.022" (IM)

The Original Straight Hand, Bar-in-Wood Stock and Splinter Forend are crafted from highly figured walnut. The stock is lightly cast-off for a right-handed shot, features a white metal escutcheon engraved with Gothic style initials, well defined drop points and is fitted with an engraved steel butt plate secured with engraved screws. There is a short hairline crack in the bar wood due to shrinkage.

Highly Figured Walnut

The approx. 24 lines per inch chequering has been refreshed to its original 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 1/4"
14 1/2"
14 3/8"
14 7/8"
Drop at Comb
Drop at Face
Drop at Heel
1 3/8"
1 1/2"
1 7/8"
Cast-off at Comb
Cast-off at Heel
1/16" Approximate
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;
Powell's forend fastener patent (provisional) no. 2193 of 1873;
Powell’s inlaid and extracting striker patent no. 1055 of 1869;
Powell’s top lever patent no. 1163 of 1864.