Army & Navy CSL, London
'Zephyr'
model
12 bore Light weight, backaction hammer gun
no. 22049
Year
of production: 1898

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Heritage Guns' Comment

This gun represents an unusually fine condition example of the light weight sporting hammerguns that were the vogue at the turn of the 19th Century. There is a substantial amount of original colour hardening still visible on the locks and action and this coupled with the sensitive restoration makes it a very pretty and highly 'shootable' gun for either game or clays.

This gun comes complete with a light weight leather case in tremendous external condition with leather corner reinforcements and new handle and straps. Internally, the case has been relined with new 'Burgundy' all wool baize, carries an original Maker's label and is fitted out with ebony and brass tools including 2 turnscrews and a nipple wrench mounted in a hand made oak block and a two part cleaning rod. The case is further equipped with a spare set of dedicated strikers in a horn striker pot, oil bottle and set of cleaning tools in a leather wallet.

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


The action is of light weight design and features:
Considerable amounts of original colour hardening
Double triggers,
Back action locks,
Rebounding hammers,
Top lever opening, operating a 'Purdey Bolt',
Three point bolting including 'doll's head' top extension
Gun weight only 6lb
Engraving style Best fine scroll.
Trigger pulls measure approximately: Front trigger 4 1/2lbs Rear trigger 4 1/2lbs

The steel barrels are 28" in length, chambered for 2 ¾" (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 2003.

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")
0.730"
0.025" Minimum
0.002" Cyl
Left Barrel
18.6mm (0.732")
0.732"
0.027" Minimum
0.040" Full

Straight Hand Stock and Splinter Forend are crafted from walnut. The 'snap on' forend is most probably the original wood whilst the stock is a well figured replacement. There are two 'shakes' in the body of the stock, on the right hand flat and rear comb, which have been filled with shaped pieces of dark wood.
The stock is cast off for a right-handed shot.

Well figured walnut

The 18 lines per inch chequering has been cut to a normal backlock design.
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 1/2"
14 9/16"
14 9/16"
15 1/8"
Drop at Comb
Drop at Face
Drop at Heel
1 3/8"
1 5/8"
2 3/16"
Cast at Comb
Cast at Heel
1/8" (approximate)
1/2" (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
Mills' top extension patent no. 4980 of 1878
'Purdey Bolt' patent no. 1104 of 1863,
and last but not least
Henry's snap cap patent no. 3257 of 1870.