E M Reilly & Co, 16 New Oxford Street,
London.
12
bore Bar-action hammergun
no. 34585
Year of manufacture: 1896
Click on these images for more detail.
Heritage
Guns' Comment
E M Reilly & Co are often thought of as merely a retailer of guns
made in the trade but recent research by a historian from the USA
has shown that they were a gunmaker in the truest sense of the
word, producing a formidable range of firearms from their
‘manufactory’ in and around the then mainly residential area of
London’s Oxford Street. This hammergun represents a fine
example of the sporting hammerguns that were sold in substantial
numbers during the period 1865 to the turn of the century and
displays many of the features of the hammergun’s later development
such as the low hammers, below line of site when cocked. The
Stanton rebounding locks are of high quality and the replacement
steel barrels (fitted in 1952) are in great condition and exhibit
very good measurements. The forend is thought to be original
but the highly figured stock is a replacement, we would suggest
that the barrels and stock were replaced at the same time as the
action and forend were re-colour-hardened. This coupled with the
sensitive restoration makes it a very pretty, safe and highly
'shootable' gun for either game or clays. Presented in its
Maker's trunk style leather case with some accessories.
WE REGRET THAT
THIS GUN IS NOW SOLD. IF YOU ARE SEARCHING FOR A SIMILAR GUN,
PLEASE CONTACT US.
|
On Consignment in USA with MacNab Fine Firearms
The action
is of traditional design and features:
Double triggers;
Stanton rebounding bar-action locks; Low level hammers;
Finely
carved percussion fences; Broad strikers;
Top lever opening,
operating a 'Purdey’ type bolt via Greener style leverwork;
Passive ‘Dolls Head’ top rib extension;
Extended top strap;
Anson pushrod forend catch
and much renewed hardening colour.
Gun weight 6lb 11oz
Engraving style Foliate scroll.
Trigger pulls measure
approximately: Front trigger 3 ½ lbs Rear trigger 4 lbs
The replacement steel barrels
are 30" 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 2013.
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")
|
0.728"
|
0.029"
|
0.009" (IC)
|
Left Barrel |
18.5mm (0.728")
|
0.729"
|
0.027"
|
0.030" (IM)
|
Replacement Straight Hand Stock and Splinter Forend
are crafted from highly figured walnut and the forend is thought to be
original. The stock is lightly cast-off for a right-handed shot and
features a vacant white metal oval and is finished with a chequered ¾”
ebonite extension.
The forend has one inlet repair to its edge and an engraved steel
forend tip.
|
Highly Figured Walnut |
|
The 20 lines per inch chequering
has been freshened to its normal sidelock 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 1/8"
|
14 1/4"
|
14 3/16"
|
14 5/8"
|
Drop at Comb
|
Drop at Face
|
Drop at Heel
|
1 1/2"
|
1 3/4"
|
2 1/8"
|
Cast at Comb
|
Cast at Heel
|
Negligible
|
1/8" 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;
Anson's
forend fastener patent no. 3791 of 1872.