Thomas Turner, 19 Brook Street, Bond Street, London
'The Levissimus'
12 bore Lightweight Back Action Hammergun
no. 5105
Year of manufacture: 1884-87

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Heritage Guns' Comment

This Turner hammergun is a great example of the ultra-lightweight guns that he was best known for. They were made in both hammer and boxlock formats and were very successful at a time when the fashion for light guns was at its peak. Turner lightweight guns are well known for their fundamental simplicity and good quality, weight being reduced by paring away unneeded wood and metal whilst keeping it where strength was required. The miniature Stanton rebounding locks are of good quality and the Damascus barrels have a lovely figure. The cutaway stock is a particular Turner feature and this gun's beautifully figured timber coupled with the sensitive restoration makes it a very pretty, safe and highly 'shootable' gun for either game or clays but especially suitable for upland game.

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

The action is of proprietary ultra-lightweight design and features:
Double triggers;
Miniature Stanton patent rebounding back action locks with low-level hammers;
Slim top lever opening, operating a 'Purdey' type bolt by way of a 'Scott' spindle;
Inert top rib extension; Miniature forend with 'Sugar-tongs' snap fastening.
Triggers slightly swept for left handed use.
Engraving style Bold Foliate Scroll. Action flats stamped with the Scott Tower trade mark.
Gun weight 5lb 3oz
Trigger pulls measure approximately: Front trigger 3 ¾ lbs Rear trigger 4 ¼ lbs
The re-browned Damascus barrels are 27 1/8" in length, chambered for 2 ½ " (65mm) cartridges and are of brazed 'dovetail' lump construction with soft soldered ribs.
Top rib is of sunken style with raise breech and front bead.
Birmingham reproof for 65mm nitro powder cartridges in 2017.

Approximate barrel measurements at date of publication:

 
Nominal Proof Size
Bore Diameter 9" from Breech
Minimum Wall Thickness
Choke Constriction
Right Barrel
18.5mm (0.728")
0.731"
0.021"
0.010"
Part Recessed
(Skeet-IC)
Left Barrel
18.5mm (0.728")
0.731"
0.025"
0.028" (IM)

The original cutaway Straight Hand Stock and miniature Splinter Forend are crafted from highly figured walnut and the stock is lightly cast-off for a right-handed shot, features a vacant white metal oval on the heel and a Silvers rubber recoil pad.
The forend
has a small repair to its internal surface and a finely engraved steel tip.

Highly Figured walnut

The 19 approx lines per inch chequering has been freshened 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 7/8"
15"
15"
15 1/2"
Drop at Comb
Drop at Face
Drop at Heel
1 1/2"
1 5/8"
2 "
Cast-off at Comb
Cast-off at Heel
Negligible
Negligible

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,
'Purdey Bolt' patent no. 1104 of 1863,
'Scott Spindle' patent no. 2752 of 1865.