Boss & Co, 73 St James's Street,
London
12 bore Bar Action, Sidelock Ejector
No. 4053 (No. 1 of Pair)
Date of manufacture: 1889
Click on these images for more detail.
Click on these images for more detail.
Heritage
Guns' Comment
This superb gun was made in the
very last years of the proprietorship of EF Paddison, nephew to
the famous Thomas Boss, who took over the ownership of Boss &
Co from his aunt, Emma Boss in 1872. Two years after this gun
were made, John Robertson bought Boss & Co and developed it
into probably the most exclusive London gunmaker name ever.
With its bar action locks, elegant sidelever and superb Sumner
engraving, this gun represent the early departure from Paddison's
very traditional preference for back actions and rotary underlevers.
On taking over Boss & Co, Robertson changed the style of the
guns to appeal to more modern tastes and these guns reflect many
of the changes he introduced. Not surprisingly, he actioned and
stocked this gun; the lockwork is by the famous lockmakers Stanton
and the action bar is engraved with 'H&H HAM'S EJECTOR 16691'.
The gun was rebarrelled by the makers with steel chopperlump barrels
in about 1927 and in the last few years it has been professionally
restocked with beautiful walnut.
Reproofed to 2 ¾" nitro, it is a safe and beautifully
balanced gun for game or clays.
Fantastic Value
at $19995
|
The action is of Robertson's
design and features:
Very Best Scroll engraving;
Double triggers bolted by an automatic top tang safety slide;
Bar action locks;
Patent cocking levers;
Robertson style interceptor sears;
Side levers operating a 'Purdey Bolt' (one sidelever possible a replacement);
Holland & Robertson's patent ejector
and 'Rigby' style lever forend catch.
Gun weights 6 lb 14oz
Engraving style Very Best Scroll; Top ribs, Forend iron and Trigger
guard engraved '1'. Yellow metal inlaid 'SAFE', action flat engraved
'H&H HAM'S EJECTOR 16691'.
Trigger pulls measure approximately:Front & Rear triggers
4lbs
The chopperlump steel barrels are 30" in length, chambered
for 2 3/4" (70mm) cartridges and are of brazed 'dovetail' construction
with soft soldered ribs.
Top ribs are of the smooth, concave game type.
London reproof for 70mm nitro powder cartridges in 2013.
Approximate barrel measurements
at date of publication:
Nominal Proof Size
|
Bore Diameter 9" from Breech
|
Minimum Wall Thickness
|
Choke Constriction
|
RH 18.6mm / 0.732"
LH 18.6mm / 0.732"
|
RH 0.734
LH 0.734
|
Both 0.024" Minimum
|
0.008" (IC)
0.012" (Mod)
|
Straight Hand Stock and Splinter Forend is
crafted from highly figured walnut. Stock is a replacements, forend
is thought to be original and has an inlet repair to its edge.
|
Highly figured walnut
|
|
The approx 24 lines per inch chequering
has been cut to normal sidelock pattern. The stock is cast off for a
right-handed shot, features a vacant white metal ovals and well defined
drop points and is finished with fine chequered panel.
The stocks are 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 (No.1/No.2):
Pull to Heel
|
Pull to Bump
|
Pull to Centre
|
Pull to Toe
|
14 1/2"
|
14 5/8"
|
14 1/2"
|
15"
|
Drop at Comb
|
Drop at Face
|
Drop at Heel
|
1 5/16"
|
1 9/16"
|
2 1/16"
|
Cast at Comb
|
Cast at Heel
|
Negligible
|
1/8" (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:
Holland & Robertson's ejector patent no. 16691 of 1888,
'Purdey Bolt' patent no. 1104 of 1863,
Harvey's forend catch patent no 1793 of 1866.