Forums.NitroExpress.com

Lancaster .450/.400 3 1/4": The crown over "NP" is the Birmingham nitro proof mark. Crown over "BV" is the Birmingham "View" mark. There also was Crown over "BP", which is the Birmingham Definitive Proof Mark and "Cordite 60, 400 MAX", the required addendum to the nitro proof mark. These marks were introduced with the 1904 rules.

"13462" is the Lancaster serial number, which is from roughly 1911. Lancaster may have stocked and finished it, from a barreled action "bought in" from a trade maker, or they may have bought it in complete. At any rate, the barreled action is not theirs. The "60719" on the loop is the trade makers' serial number. Not sure who the trade maker was, but they made quite a few DRs. Mickey's Henry looks like it is from the same source, and my Watson Brothers .450/.400 was a ringer for this gun. I've seen quite a few of these.

Nice looking rifle. Tad heavy. A friend of mine who is familiar with this particular rifle said that the stock head was a mess, and that it has since been repaired and the dowel through the cheeks added. I'd have the wood professionally evaluated. A correct re-stock isn't cheap. The fore-end wood has chips in the same place on both sides.

Jeffery .450/.400 3": The marks you saw on this one are the Birmingham marks that those on the Lancaster replaced in 1904. They're crossed sceptres, with a crown in the top angle. The definitive proof mark has the letters "BPC" in the other three angles and the view mark has the letter "V" in the bottom angle. I think the nitro marks you saw were probably "Cordite 60 grs, 400 grs Bullet Max'm".

I called about this rifle a month or so ago, and IIRC, "9081" is the Jeffery number. I'm pretty sure it has to be because it fits the pre-1904 proof marks. This number is from a block that was used 1899-1902. This rifle was probably among the first .400 Jeffery's. Jeffery didn't build or finish these, as they were a retailer. Just looking at it, my guess is that this one came from Turner. I'm sure that it didn't come from Leonard.

Very heavy for caliber, 11 3/8 lbs. Not surprising for an early full nitro, but I wouldn't want a .400 that heavy. The bores are frosty (Cordite burn).

Both of these rifles would have been of excellent original quality.

Hope this answers your questions.
-------------------------------------------------------

--------------------
"Serious rifles have two barrels, everything else just burns gunpowder."