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This is the newest addition to the collection - yes, another step back on the Holland & Holland Royal savings plan - but a worthy diversion surely.
I have wanted a Fraser for a while - who hasn't, right - and knowing how rarely they come up I was happy to be able to get it.
In detail, there are many of the classic Fraser cues short of deluxe engraving.
First thing I noticed is the top tang safety which is a desireable feature of the later Fraser falling blocks. Interestingly, this is a low serial number gun - much lower than any other top tang safety model listed in Kirton's book.
It's numbers match on the action, trigger guard and barrel. It is marked 360EX on the barrel.
When I bought it, I thought nothing wrong with the old 360 black powder express. Fun round anyway and more powerful than you would expect. In looking at the seller's pictures, I thought the rim cutout looked a bit wide, but not having anything for reference I didn't think much of it.

Now to the in-hand inspection.
Overall, looks to be a well preserved original gun. Nothing obviously goofy. Nice bore. Folding sights to 500yds. Original butt plate too. Feels great!
Then my eye goes to the top tang. Interestingly, the border engraving on the tang is a bit more ornate than the border on the action which is a simple chain of pierced squares. The tang has a woven border. The trigger guard also has a woven border but is integral with the lower part of the action - which again has the simple pierced square border.
The chambering was obviously not for the standard 360 2-1/4 BPE with the rim recess measuring at roughly .525". A 9.3X74mm shell will not chamber all the way but the rim fits nicely in reverse. Using a probe, the lands start at about 2-3/4" and there is a slight neck to the chamber. A chamber cast and bore slugging will be coming soon but it looks as though it could be a variant of the 400/360. I understand this can be made from 9.3X74mm by shortnening the brass.
In the light of my dining room, which admittedly is not the best for this kind of thing, there was nothing any more unusual than that to report.
Now, out to the sunlight and...there clear as day is a fill area in place of the early type safety which resides in the trigger guard just ahead of the trigger. Obviously a very professional job.

The question is, is it known whether Fraser had converted any earlier rifles to the top tang safety later on?
And, assuming this explains the existence of and the different border on the tang, would Fraser also rechamber the rifle to the later 400/360 at the owner's request?
Was there ever a BP version of the 400/360?
Did Fraser mark his falling blocks with the charge and bullet weight?
Would the BP 360 be sighted to 500yds?
I notice that some 303's have the same proofmarks as my gun with, of course, 303 instead of 360EX.
Without documentation, this may be one of those unknowns of gun history. But what a mystery to ponder...

Edited by CptCurl (19/11/10 11:33 PM)