A10ACN
.300 member
Reged: 30/01/05
Posts: 198
Loc: USA
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Howdy Gents.
I lucked into a nice and apparently quite early W.J.Jeffery Farquharson in .303 British. I’ve perused Winfer’s Vol. 3 and the earliest Jeffery Farqy serial number RANGE he starts with is 5600 -5699 in 1896, then starting 1897 with 5700-5799. That’s his estimate from looking at Jeffery records as well as rifles. According to him, Jeffery serialed sequentially across all their rifles and guns. The .303 British cartridge was introduced in 1889. My rifle is 38xx. Extrapolating his info, that seems exceptionally low for a 303 Farqy. Should we assume that Jeffery produced FAR more Farquharsons and other guns/rifles than Mr Winfer estimated?
I’m interested in others’ thoughts on this. My intention is NOT to throw any rocks at Mr Winfer or his brilliant references, merely to add more to the public knowledge base.
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3DogMike
.400 member
Reged: 29/01/15
Posts: 1487
Loc: Western Slope, Colorado USA
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A10ACN (does your screen name mean you are/were associated with A-10 Warthog ops?)
I have a Jeffery double rifle serial #245X that I actually got details from the surviving Jeffery daybooks as being finished in Feb 1896 by Ellis.
Another page copy of the old daybooks shows ".303 falling block 95 Model" (ie: Farquharson PD) #4730 as September 1896, so it is entirely possible that 5000 series numbers could have been late 1896.
I would have to guess your rifles serial number as Summer of 1896
I am not convinced that other sources of serial number ranges are totally correct, but there is no easy way to tell. I am not sure if the Jeffery Farquarson was done in serial number order with the shotguns and other rifles.
Last I knew, a few years ago, the Jeffery records were privately held by the Friedkin Group out of Texas. Thomas Friedkin himself passed away in 2017 and I do not know if the records have moved on or not.
- Mike
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"Will Rogers never met a fighter pilot"
- Anon
“Always carry a flask of whiskey in case of snakebite, and furthermore always carry a small snake."
-- W. C. Fields
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Yukon577
.224 member
Reged: 11/03/08
Posts: 37
Loc: Yukon Territory
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Hi Guys,
I have a Jeffery double rifle with serial number 530# and a copy of the daybook page for it says it was completed in March of 1898.
I hope this helps.
Rob
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Huvius
.416 member
Reged: 04/11/07
Posts: 3612
Loc: Colorado
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I think Winfer's data is about as accurate as can be found.
Every gun I've owned of the type he published on matched up pretty well.
Jeffery didn't make any Farqs until 1895 so it can't be older than that.
Also, the 303 didn't go cordite until about that year so if it has cordite proofs, 1895 is a good guess.
Some makers would use hold over serial numbers and WR actually renumbered actions as they were used to fit into the new series. I had a WR double which the ledger tells was renumbered this way.
That said, I see no reason for Jeffery to back number a new action of new design.
Let's see some photos!
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He who lives in the past is doomed to enjoy it.
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3DogMike
.400 member
Reged: 29/01/15
Posts: 1487
Loc: Western Slope, Colorado USA
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Well the OP has not been around since June 6 months ago, so this is well on its way to being a zombie thread. I will add this as a parting comment tho.
Jeffery is said to have used "serial number blocks" so tough to get a pure chronological guess on production date. That said, understand that Jeffery did not allocate individual serial number ranges to specific models or types of guns/rifles, just whatever was next, be it rook rifle, shotgun, single, or double rifle got the next sequential serial number.
As noted above, my Jeffery .577BPE is serial number 2457 and is Feb 1896 from the daybooks. I have an extraneous daybook page for low 4700 series numbers that is circa Summer 1896.
An interesting side note: the rifles & guns listed on the (admittedly few) daybook pages that I have from 1896 were all made by Ellis for Jeffery.
Such a shame that the extant Jeffery daybooks are so closely held & difficult to access.
- Mike
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"Will Rogers never met a fighter pilot"
- Anon
“Always carry a flask of whiskey in case of snakebite, and furthermore always carry a small snake."
-- W. C. Fields
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CptCurl
.450 member
Reged: 01/05/04
Posts: 5318
Loc: Fincastle, Botetourt County, V...
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It would be helpful to have photos of the proofing. Nitro proof for the .303 went through several different varieties up until 1904 when it was standardized.
If it has the cocked arm and scimitar it is 1904 or later.
Curl
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RoscoeStephenson.com
YOUR DOUBLE RIFLE IS YOUR BEST FRIEND.
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85lc
.400 member
Reged: 19/01/18
Posts: 1185
Loc: Georgia, USA
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The Gibbs patent expired in 1889 and after the expiration date, Francotte (and its subcontractors) built slightly modified Farquharson type actions which were sold to the English trade, including Jeffery.
It is possible that A10ACN's rifle was built around or shortly after 1889 and then rebarreled by Jeffery in 1896 or later.
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RB
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A10ACN
.300 member
Reged: 30/01/05
Posts: 198
Loc: USA
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3Dog, I’m still alive. I don’t spend as much time here and usually just check in without logging in. If you spell out my screen name aloud really fast, you should get it. The 10 is ten.
CptCurl, good point. I’ll check.
85lc, possibility I guess.
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3DogMike
.400 member
Reged: 29/01/15
Posts: 1487
Loc: Western Slope, Colorado USA
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Quote:
3Dog, I’m still alive. I don’t spend as much time here and usually just check in without logging in. If you spell out my screen name aloud really fast, you should get it. The 10 is ten.
CptCurl, good point. I’ll check.
85lc, possibility I guess.
Hmmm…..too hard for an old guy. Cheers anyway.
K1115N
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"Will Rogers never met a fighter pilot"
- Anon
“Always carry a flask of whiskey in case of snakebite, and furthermore always carry a small snake."
-- W. C. Fields
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