P Webley & Son, 78 Shaftesbury Avenue, London
16 bore Box Lock Ejector
no. 64439 (8247 internally)
Date of manufacture: pre-1897

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Heritage Guns' Comment

From such a highly respected maker, this gun is a lovely example of the Anson & Deeley boxlock that became such a hugely successful design by the last decade of the 19th Century. The 'Webley Horseshoe Top Lever' action is nicely engraved with border and scroll and this coupled with the excellent barrel measurements and sensitive restoration makes it a very safe, pretty and 'shootable' gun for either game or clays. There is some vestigial pitting in both tubes that has not been lapped out to maintain the gun's excellent wall thicknesses.
The dating of this gun is complicated: no records exist but P Webley & Son amalgamated with W & C Scott & Son to form Webley & Scott in 1897 so this gun predates that. Furthermore, internally the gun is numbered 8247 (possibly a Webley number) which suggests that it was manufactured considerably earlier and then finished in 1896 or 1897 (proof marks date from 1896 to 1904) just before the adoption of the Webley & Scott name and issued with a number from Scott's books.

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

 

The action is of combined Webley and Anson & Deeley design and features:
Double triggers bolted by an automatic top tang safety slide,
Top lever opening operating a 'Purdey Bolt' by way of a 'Webley Patent Screw Grip',
Three point bolting including top extension, 'Disc-Set' strikers,
'Southgate' ejectors tripped by slides running from the action knuckle to the tumblers,
Anson pushrod forend catch, traces of hardening colour.
Gun weight 6lb 1oz Engraving style Border & scroll
Trigger pulls measure approximately: Front trigger 4 lbs Rear trigger 4 lbs
The original steel barrels are 30" in length, chambered for 2 ¾" (70mm) cartridges and are of brazed 'dovetail' lump construction with soft soldered ribs. There is vestigial pitting in both tubes which was not lapped out to preserve the excellent wall thicknesses.
Top rib is of the smooth, concave, game type.
London reproof for 70mm nitro powder cartridges in 2010

Approximate barrel measurements at date of publication:

 
Nominal Proof Size
Bore Diameter 9" from Breech
Minimum Wall Thickness
Choke Constriction
Right Barrel
17.1mm (0.673")
0.673"
0.028"+
0.010" (IC)
Left Barrel
16.9mm (0.665")
0.668"
0.026"+
0.030" (LF)
Straight Hand Stock and Splinter Forend are crafted from well figured walnut. The stock is lightly cast-off for a right-handed shot, features a vacant white metal escutcheon and is finished with a 3/8" 'Bakerlite' extension.
Well Figured Walnut
The approximately 20 lines per inch chequering has been cut to a normal boxlock design with well defined drop points. 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
15 1/8"
15 1/4"
15 1/4"
15 3/4"
Drop at Comb
Drop at Face
Drop at Heel
1 1/2"
1 11/16"
2"
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:
Webley & Brain's 'Screw Grip' action patent no 3053 of 1882,
Anson & Deeley's boxlock patent no. 1756 of 1875,
'Purdey Bolt' patent no. 1104 of 1863,
Anson & Deeley's safety catch no. 907 of 1879,
'Southgate' ejectors patent no. 12314 of 1889,
Anson's forend fastener patent no. 3791 of 1872.