W. J. Jeffery .577 3-1/4” BPE #2457

Made by R. Ellis and entered in the day books on 20February1896, this is a 6-1/2 Dram 650 grain rifle weighing 12lbs 6oz.
Barrels are 25 1/8” with a 14-1/2” length of pull to the front trigger, anti recoil heel plate (recoil pad), and lever forend release.

The rifle came to me from Australia with the importation help of Steve Bertram of Bertram & Co., Ward, Colorado, USA.
There is a very lightly stamped “Maharaja Number” behind the pistol grip indicating that it originally went to India where it must have seen very little use because the (age faded) case colors are quite extensive and the bores are, aside from a scattered few light pits, almost as new.

I have shot it with both Black Powder as well as suitable “Nitro for Black” loads. Needless to say, even at 12lb 6oz the recoil of a 6.5Dram (178grain) load of Swiss 1-1/2 and 650 grain bullet at ~1650’/sec is an attention getter?

A somewhat more “civilized” loading recoil wise is the NfB loading of 78 grains H4198, Federal 215, foam backer rod, and a 650 grain bullet cast of 1:30 from an Accurate Mould Co. mould which runs about 1750’/sec.

After much chasing of dead end leads and months of time I was able to obtain a copy of the existing Jeffery day books record of the rifle.

- Mike

The above daybook entry reads:
2457 .577 3 1/4 6 1/2Drams + 650 bullet, LOG Action (Lever Over Guard, ie: Jones underlever), Dolls Head, Lever Forepart, Sights 50 100 150, BA Locks rebound, pistol grip, cheek piece, recoil heel plate, file cut rib, 12lbs 6oz.
Ellis 20/2/96