William Evans, 63 Pall Mall, St James's, London
12 bore Bar Action, Sidelock Ejector
no. 10307


Date of manufacture: 1911

Click on these images for more detail.

Heritage Guns' Comment

This is a lovely example of a London sidelock ejector gun from this highly respected gunmaker, made in the heyday of the British gun trade, just before Europe was ravaged by the 1st World War. Finished externally in a very unusual, understated manor, internally it is every inch a best London gun.
With its Holland & Holland style interceptor sears, three point bolting and excellent barrel dimensions, this gun would make a very safe and classy target or game gun for the discerning shooter.

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

 

The action is of combined Webley and Roger's design and features:
Webley & Brain's 'Screw Grip' lever working a 'Purdey Bolt' and
providing a 3rd bite at the top extension,
Double triggers bolted by an automatic top tang safety slide,
Bar action locks,
Roger's cocking levers,
Disk set strikers,
'Southgate' ejectors
and Anson's push rod forend catch.
Gun weight 6lb 9oz
Engraving style
Border engraved with foliate scroll detail. Finely carved action bar.
Trigger pulls measure approximately: Front trigger 3 1/2lbs Rear trigger 4 1/2lbs
Please note that there are small scratches to the RH lock plate and RH fence, these are clearly visible on the photos above.
The original steel barrels are 28" in length, chambered for 2 3/4" (70mm) cartridges and are of brazed 'dovetail' lump construction with soft soldered ribs. Top rib is of the smooth, concave game type.
London reproof
for 70mm nitro powder cartridges in 2009.

Approximate barrel measurements at date of publication:

 
Nominal Proof Size
Bore Diameter 9" from Breech
Minimum Wall Thickness
Choke Constriction
Right Barrel
18.8mm (0.740")
0.741"
0.026" Minimum
0.010" (1/4)
Left Barrel
18.8mm (0.740")
0.741"
0.024" Minimum
0.020" (1/2)

Straight Hand Stock and Splinter Forend are crafted from well figured walnut. The forend has been repaired at the knuckle with a well-matched inlay, mainly obscured by the chequering. There is also a small inlet to the forend edge.

Highly figured walnut

The extra fine 26 lines per inch chequering is to normal sidelock pattern. The stock is lightly cast off for a right-handed shot, features well defined drop points, a blank escutcheon and a chequered butt.
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 3/4"
15"
14 7/8"
15 1/4"
Drop at Comb
Drop at Face
Drop at Heel
1 5/16"
1 1/2"
2 1/4"
Cast at Comb
Cast at Heel
1/16 (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:
Roger's cocking levers patent no 397 of 1882,
Webley & Brain 'Screw Grip' patent no. 3053 of 1882,
Holland & Robertson's interceptor sears patent no. 5834 of 1887,
'Purdey Bolt' patent no. 1104 of 1863,
Southgate's ejector patent no. 12314 of 1889,
Anson's forend fastener patent no. 3791 of 1872.