Update 22nd July 2016

 

Welcome to my July 2016 Update.

 

I am writing primarily to notify you all that the 4 post-1898 shotguns that have been languishing in my workshop for some time have finally made it over to the USA and are being held by my good friend and FFL, Bob Nay of Macnab Fine Firearms.

One has already sold, the Anderson 16g BLE, but three are still for sale as I write. I have updated their web pages with the US$ price, all duties and import costs paid. Domestic shipping remains to be added but they all represent very good value. They are:

 

John Dickson & Son 12g BLE

 

 

 Cogswell & Harrison 20g BLE

 

 

 Westley Richards 28g BLE

 

 

 

The weather here has been seriously warm this week and with no air conditioning, high humidity and blazing sunshine, work has been unpleasant. However the garden seems to love it and helped by a wet winter and spring, plants that are usually well past their best by now are in full leaf and bloom!

 

Tilly the Pocket Rocket doesn’t seem able to decide whether the hot weather suits her or not. She alternates lying in full sun as though it was a winter’s day with retreating to the coolest tiled area in the kitchen and panting. There are plenty of compromise locations, but no, she has to take the extremes! Labradors!

 

My progress towards a DSC2 (Deer Stalking Certificate) has continued spasmodically, many booked outings thwarted by heavy rain or high winds. Roe and muntjac are very human in their dislike of inclement weather and the general rule is that if you don’t much fancy being out in it, neither do they! The cover is also still very high with few crops cut so one is very fortunate to see more than the tops of antlers or ears. My evening stalk this week was snookered by a Roe doe feeding just off our chosen path. With no alternative route and only 20 minutes legal shooting time left, we had no choice but to get set up on sticks and see if a buck would walk into range. Naturally nothing did and at close of play we quietly backed out.

 

My trip to North Carolina is now a distant memory and I have spent the time since working on a group of guns destined for an Autumn US show. There is no sign of my US visa yet, in fact I doubt it will come through until September at the earliest, so I have no idea when I will be coming over. The Vintage Cup in September seems very unlikely so popping over in late October to deliver fresh stock and collect anything that needs attention is possibly the answer.

 

In recent months I have acquired several interesting new stock guns to restore. I hope they will all be ready for Las Vegas in January 2017.

 

 

The first in a Stephen Grant sidelever 12g hammergun in very fine condition with beautifully fitted new stock and forend. However the barrels are beyond saving so TIG sleeving has been commissioned.

 

Stephen Grant 12g Hammergun no 3271

 

Next is another Stephen Grant, somewhat earlier and with a Jones rotary underlever and grip safety. This has already been soft solder sleeved but we are going to dismantle the sleeving and rebuild using TIG welded joints. This also gives us the opportunity to drop the chambers to 2 ¾” and reproof.

 

Stephen Grant 12g Hammergun no 2520

 

 

Some time back I acquired another J Blanch & Son BLE with replacement barrels by the maker. This has taken something of a back seat to the more exotic guns in my workshop but now I hope to make a start on its restoration. Interceptor sears and lovely wood makes this a lovely practical gun for all shooting, game or clay.

 

J Blanch & Son 12g BLE no 6135

 

 

 

I am not a keen Purdey SLE buyer as I feel that they were so beautifully built, and usually well maintained, it is very difficult to justify the purchase of one over another! And they are all expensive!

However, when I saw this one, I fell in love with its very rare underlever and ‘in your face’ fences. A quite extraordinary gun! Replacement steel barrels by another.

 

James Purdey & Sons 12b Self-opening SLE no 10924

 

 

The last gun that I have acquired lately is a Scottish Round Action, a 1900 James MacNaughton ‘Edinburgh’ 12g with original ejectors and 28” x 2 ½” nitro Damascus barrels. It came cased in a newish leather ‘toe under barrels’ lightweight case with some accessories and an antique MacNaughton label. The gun appears to have been most recently owned by a member of the Maker’s clan and the case carries a brass plaque to that effect. The gun has been recently restocked with a lovely piece of wood but much of the gun needs some TLC before I can offer it for sale.

 

James MacNaughton 12g RA Ejector no 2321

 

 

 

 

 

 

As is my way, I have left some 12 guns on consignment with trusted friends. Bob Nay of Macnab Fine Firearms has taken the lion’s share but we have also entrusted 6 guns to New London Arms where Stewart McDowell is going to be uploading full details on his web site.

 

Latest Additions to the Stock List

 

Holland & Holland 20g SLE with TIG sleeved 26” barrels no 11971 On consignment with Macnab Fine Firearms
Lovely, early Royal gun with baraction locks. This gun has had an eventful life and now sports a well figured replacement stock and completely new forend equipped with Southgate ejectors.

 

 

James Woodward & Sons 12g Hammergun with 29” Damascus barrels no 3417

Snap underlever with backaction locks and probably unique variant on the Purdey Bolt concept. Rather than a bolt that slides back and forth, this gun has a pair of scissor type bolts, hinged at the front that snap into a long bite in the side of the lumps. A very rare beast. Beautifully figured stock and lots of original hardening colour.

 

Henry Clarke & Son 16g Backaction SLE with 30” TIG sleeved barrels. 4th in our ‘Accipiter’ series. On consignment with Macnab Fine Firearms

Originally built as a 12g, this has been my very own ‘go-to’ gun for game and clays over the last 12 months while I explored the proposition of having my late father’s Blanch SLE rebarrelled as a 16b. I have to say I have been won over by the delightful, steady handling of this gun and my clay scores and game shooting averages have been a revelation. There is no doubt now that I will get the work done on the Blanch to mimic the Clarke.

 

 

Edwinson Green 20g Hammergun with 28” Damascus barrels and replacement stock and forend wood.

A lovely little gun, engraved with fine foliate scroll and beautifully restocked. We have just had this gun reproofed for 2 ¾” nitro as it was very close to its upper proof limit.

 

 

Other guns on consignment in the USA are:

Henry Atkin 12g SLE #397 On consignment with Macnab Fine Firearms

Henry Atkin 12g SLE #434 Cased On consignment with New London Arms

Holland & Holland 16g SLNE #8787 On consignment with New London Arms

Holland & Holland 12g SLE #14908 On consignment with New London Arms

Charles Lancaster 12g SLE #7776 On consignment with Macnab Fine Firearms

A Malock 12g BA Hammergun #12244 On consignment with Macnab Fine Firearms

T Murcott 16g Mousetrap SLNE #2446 On consignment with New London Arms

James Purdey & Sons 12g SLE #11368 Cased On consignment with New London Arms

R Roper 12g SLNE #30540 On consignment with New London Arms

AJ Russell 12g BLE On consignment with Macnab Fine Firearms

 

Details of all the guns can be found on our stock pages with links to the person holding the gun on consignment.

 

Most of the guns mentioned above are nitro proofed for a minimum of 2 3/4" cartridges and all are pre-1897 unless otherwise described.

 

Lastly a reminder that we now have a Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Heritage-Guns/1456166597974211. Facebook is not everybody’s cup of tea but we will post photos and news there that are not relevant to our main web site pages.

 

Enjoy your guns and shooting wherever you are!


Toby Barclay

 

Links to our show venues can be found on our Home page.