Charles Boswell, 126 Strand, London WC
12 bore Back Action Hammergun
No. 11301
Date of manufacture: 1883-87
Click on these images for more detail.
Heritage
Guns' Comment
Charles Boswell started making guns under his own name in about
1869 and became a very successful live pigeon shooter, which in
turn helped him to establish himself as one of the premier makers
of live pigeon guns. His business flourished up until the 1st
WW when the combined effect of that conflict and the banning of
competitive live pigeon shooting conspired to bring about the
decline in many of the great gunmakers of the period. It is
difficult without the detailed records to categorise gun no.
11301: it carries many of the styling pointers for a live pigeon
gun, eg. side clips, but also some that are more unusual, eg. a
smooth, concave rib. Also one can see from the lack of the ‘NOT
FOR BALL’ proof mark on the right barrel that it was not heavily
choked in both tubes. However, irrespective of the above, it
certainly feels like a serious target gun rather than a light game
gun and may have been ordered as a compromise for someone who shot
both disciplines and Boswell was certainly the man to speak to for
such a weapon. The bolting is of the classic top lever, Scott
spindle and Purdey bolt and this combined with the side clips
gives a very solid lockup. The original highly figured wood is
simply spectacular and the chequering is quite bold, giving a very
positive grip in the hand. The damascus barrels have survived the
effects of black powder and corrosive primers to be in remarkably
good shape today and they appear to have their approximately
original choke of about ¼ & ¾ , or in US parlance IC & Full. The
30" barrels have been reproofed for 2 ½ ” nitro cartridges and
this all adds up to a strong gun that is a joy to shoot and should
give many years of service on game or clays with normal
maintenance. Presented in a relined leather and brass case
with some accessories and a reproduction label.
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 back action, barlock design and features:
Finely
chiselled percussion fences;
Low level hammers;
Rebounding back action locks;
Side
clips; Double triggers;
Toplever operating a Purdey Bolt via a
Scott Spindle;
Top rib ‘Doll’s Head’ extension giving a third
bite;
Anson pushrod forend fastener.
Balance point is
about ¼” in front of the knuckle.
Gun Weight 6lb 11oz
Engraving Style Best Bouquet & Scroll.
Locks
signed ‘CHAS BOSWELL’.
Action and barrel flats stamped ‘C
BOSWELL’.
Trigger Pulls measure approximately: Front
trigger 3 ½ lbs Rear trigger 4 ¼ lbs
The Rebrowned Damascus
Steel Barrels are 30 1/8" in length, chambered for 2 ½ "
(65mm) cartridges and are of brazed dovetail construction with
soft soldered ribs.
Top
Rib is of the smooth, concave game type.
London Reproof
for 65mm nitro powder cartridges in 1986.
Approximate barrel measurements
at date of publication:
|
Nominal Proof Size
|
Bore Diameter 9" from Breech
|
Minimum Wall Thickness
|
Choke Constriction
|
Right Barrel |
0.736"
|
0.739"
|
0.023"
|
0.013" (IC)
|
Left Barrel |
0.736"
|
0.740"
|
0.024"
|
0.035" (Full)
|
The Original Half Pistol Grip Stock and Splinter Forend
are crafted from highly figured walnut. The stock is lightly cast
off for a right-handed shot and features well defined drop points, a
vacant white metal oval and a horn butt plate secured with engraved
screws. The forend has a finely engraved steel tip.
The approximately 16 lines per inch chequering
is freshened to its normal baraction sidelock pattern.
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 1/8"
|
14 3/8"
|
14 1/4"
|
14 3/4"
|
Drop at Comb
|
Drop at Face
|
Drop at Heel
|
1 1/2"
|
1 11/16"
|
2 1/8"
|
Cast at Comb
|
Cast at Heel
|
Negligible
|
1/4" approx.
|
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;
'Scott Spindle' patent no. 2752 of 1865;
Scott's top extension patent no. 1902 of
1875;
Anson’s
forend fastener patent no. 3791 of 1872.