OK, back to the top again.

Last week, I received the long-awaited letter from the current owners of the Jeffery records in the US. A copy of the ledger page containing my .400 double was enclosed. Here's the entry pertaining to the rifle in question:

The correspondant commented on the 'handsome penmanship' but regretted that the abbreviations were 'quite difficult to discern in some cases'. Fortunately for us, we are fluent in the language of the pommie gun-maker here!

.450/400; 3-inch case; Model 3; Hammerless ejector; 24-inch barrels; Standing plus 2 leaf to 300 yards; Bead foresight with disc; Anson forend; Doll's Head extension with bite; Pistol-grip stock; Trap with spare sight; 10 lbs; made 15/02/39; Cost price 40 pounds 7 and 6; Engraving 4 quid; Selling price 60 quid.

Now for the tricky bit. Made by "C.L."

...so who the hell is C.L.? Is this the next generation of Leonards? I am aware of Daniel the elder, and sons Harry, Daniel, and Samuel before the first war, but no-one with the initials C.L. The gun does have the 4-digit number generally attributed by other members of this forum to Harry Leonard:

1939 is a fairly late manufacture, so I am intrigued as to who the maker could be. Obviously the firm of Charles Lancaster was out of the picture by 1932. There is a Clive Lemon listed in Boothroyd's Directory, but no details given. The only detailed info I have on the Leonard family comes from Tate, no hints there.

Can anyone throw me a bone here?