Army &
Navy Co-operative Society Ltd,
105 Victoria Street, Westminster,
London
12 bore Backaction Sidelever Hammergun
no. 2688
Year of manufacture:
1875-87
Click on these images for more detail.
Heritage
Guns' Comment
This gun is a very fine example of the sporting hammerguns that
were the norm in the last quarter of the 19th Century and is in
very good condition. Army & Navy CSL specialised in supplying the
officers of the British armed forces with every kind of equipment
and apparel, both for use at home and abroad. It is not thought
that they actually made any of the goods they retailed but instead
sourced them from the best within the trade and their guns were no
exception. Virtually all the shotguns retailed by A&N were made by
W&C Scott, later to become Webley & Scott, and this gun carries a
number on its bottom rib of 26746 which agrees with Scott’s serial
number range for 1880. The gun was nitro reproofed in 2012 for
2 ½” (65mm) which makes it compatible with modern ammunition of
the correct cartridge length and the beautifully figured stock and
fine damascus barrels make this a really delightful and safe gun
for clays or upland game.
WE REGRET THAT THIS GUN IS NOW
SOLD. IF YOU ARE SEARCHING FOR A SIMILAR GUN, PLEASE CONTACT
US.
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The action
is of traditional design and features:
Double triggers;
Backaction, rebounding locks;
Low level hammers acting on Broad
strikers;
Finely chiselled percussion fences;
Rounded bar; Long
top tang;
Sidelever opening,
operating a 'Purdey Bolt';
Patent Hackett snap-on forend fastener.
Gun weight: 6 lb 5oz
Engraving style: Bold foliate scroll. Beaded borders.
Locks
signed ‘ARMY & NAVY’. Action flats stamped ‘A&N CSL’.
Trigger
pulls have been adjusted and measure approximately: Front
trigger 3 ¾ lbs Rear trigger 4lbs
The rebrowned Damascus barrels
are 30" in length, chambered for 2 ½” (65mm) cartridges and are of
brazed 'dovetail' lump construction with soft soldered ribs. Top rib is
of the smooth, concave, game type. The interior bores exhibit a few
small vestigial marks.
Birmingham reproof for 65mm nitro powder cartridges in 2012.
Approximate barrel measurements
at date of publication:
|
Nominal Proof Size
|
Bore Diameter 9" from Breech
|
Minimum Wall Thickness
|
Choke Constriction
|
Right Barrel |
18.6mm (0.732")
|
0.736"
|
0.023" @ 3" from
muzzle
|
0.006" (Skeet)
|
Left Barrel |
18.8mm (0.740")
|
0.743"
|
0.024"
|
0.019" (Mod)
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Straight Hand Stock and Snap-on Splinter Forend
are crafted from well figured walnut. The stock is lightly cast off
for a right-handed shot and features a vacant white metal escutcheon
and engraved heel and toe plates secured by engraved screws. The
forend has a finely engraved steel diamond and a horn tip. Care
should be exercised when removing the forend. To avoid
over-stressing the horn tip, make sure your finger is fully engaged
with the wood.
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Well Figured Walnut Stock &
Forend
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The approx. 20 lines per inch chequering
has been freshened to its original 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
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Pull to Bump
|
Pull to Centre
|
Pull to Toe
|
14 3/8"
|
14 5/8"
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14 5/8"
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15 1/8"
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Drop at Comb
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Drop at Face
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Drop at Heel
|
1 5/8"
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1 7/8"
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2 3/8"
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Cast at Comb
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Cast at Heel
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Negligible
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1/8" (approximate)
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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;
Hackett’s forend fastener patent no. 964 of
1878.