James Woodward & Sons, 64 St James's Street, London
12 bore Bar Action Sidelock Ejector
no. 4689 (No. 2 of a Pair)
Date of Manufacture: 1892

Link to Gun record from J Purdey & Sons.

Click on these images for more detail.

Heritage Guns' Comment I have had the huge privilege to work on quite a few of these Woodward sidelock ejectors and have always been impressed by the sheer, uncompromising quality of the gunmaking. Gun no 4689 displays all but one of the classic Woodward features including the bolstered tumbler pivots, engraving style, unique safety slide and is built on a ‘flat back’ action, almost unheard of by this time in Best London sidelocks. The only thing missing are the breech side clips which are largely superfluous in a game gun anyway. Sadly, no. 4689 had suffered a grave lack of care sometime in the past and a partial restoration had been undertaken before it entered our workshop. We have continued this process: turning new pins, carefully restoring the inner workings and bringing the external finish back to where the gun looks as good as it possibly can. The replacement, nicely figured stock has been crafted in the classic semi-pistol style in keeping with Woodward tradition. The original Whitworth steel barrels were TIG sleeved in 2019 to their original length but reproofed for 2 ¾” nitro (rather than the original 2 ½” chambers) and the chokes were left at ¼ & ½ (IC/Mod) rather than more open game chokes originally specified. Engraving remains good on locks, action and furniture so the main focus of our restoration has been to get the gun into a sound serviceable condition. This gun’s extensive  restoration makes it a very useable, safe and highly collectable gun for either game or clays. Presented in a leather & brass case, relined with crimson, wool baize with some accessories and a reproduction label. A lovely, very shootable gun at only £7650

The action is of traditional sidelock design and features:
Toplever opening, operating a double bite ‘Purdey Bolt’ via a ‘Scott Spindle’;
Double triggers bolted by an automatic, top tang, Woodward-style safety slide;
Bar action, 9 pin sidelocks with bolstered tumbler pivots; Robertson style interceptor sears;
Gold lined cocking indicators; Disc-set strikers with vented retaining pins;
Perkes’ ejector box;
Anson’s pushrod forend catch.
Engraving style Very best foliate scroll. Breech face stamped ‘JAMES WOODWARD & SONS’.
Locks signed ‘J WOODWARD & SONS’ in an elaborate cartouche. Arcaded fences.
Gold inlaid ‘SAFE’ and ‘2’ on triggerguard and toplever. Forend iron engraved ‘2’.
Gun weight 6lb 8oz         The gun balance about 1 1/8” in front of the hinge pin.
Trigger pulls measure approximately: Front trigger 3 ¼ lbs, Rear trigger 4 ½ lbs.
The TIG sleeved Whitworth steel barrels are 29" in length, chambered for 2 ¾" (70mm) cartridges and are of chopperlump construction with soft soldered ribs.
Top rib is of the smooth, concave game type.
Birmingham reproof for 2 ¾” nitro powder cartridges in 2019.

Approximate barrel measurements at date of publication:

Approximate stock measurements at date of publication:

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:
 'Purdey Bolt' patent no. 1104 of 1863;
 'Scott Spindle' patent no. 2752 of 1865;
Perkes ejector patent no. 12176 of 1887;
Anson forend fastener patent no. 3791 of 1872.