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mickey - It was a Jeffery. You were right about it being written up in the Big Game Rifle Club Newsletter.

The article was in the 10th Anniversary Issue of the 'Big Game Express', published in February, 1993.

For those that don't have access to this, here is some info gleaned from the article contributed by a previous owner (known in some circles as 'The Nephew). As it is in the public domain, the only laws I might be breaking are those of copyright. I will simply provide unedited excerpts that might make interesting reading?

A starting point in history, the first .600 bore rifle was produced by W.J. Jeffery & Co. of 13 King Street, St. James'. Holland & Holland in their superb book 'The Shooting Field', make reference to the first .600 bore Jeffery rifle as being an under lever snap Anson & Deeley Action, serial No. 12175. The date of completion of this rifle was February 1902.

Contrary to this statement, I believe the first .600 bore Jeffery was in fact a hammer rifle, with the Jones under lever double grip action.

I support this claim with the following details: Jeffery .600 bore rifle serial number 8371, was noted in the Jeffery register as being completed on the 28th February 1901, cost £24-5-0 and was sold for £35-0-0.

This rifle having been finished twelve months earlier by date and by register, 3804 numbers earlier than serial number 12175.

I also illustrate a copy of the original entry in the Jeffery register, which indicates the actual maker or gunsmith was by the name of 'Saunders'. This name also appears beside other rifles in the Jeffery register this century.

The 25 inch chopper lump Krupp steel barrels or 'tubes'; as they are referred to in the Jeffery record, cost £4-15-0; this was of particular interest. The reference to the purhase of .600 bore barrels in the Jeffery number book, referred to by Holland & Holland states;

"23-3-01 thro. Bakers 4 pairs .600 bore tubes from Krupps @ 75/- per pair"

The purchase of this rifle is one month after rifle No. 8371 was completed.

Another interesting point arises from the study of the markings on the barrel flats and barrel. Although the cartridge is not thought to have derived from a black powder (cartridge) version, the barrel flats are marked 22 bore; together with 'Cordite 120 gr. Ball 900 Gr. Max'. So yo (sic.) see it is proofed as a 22 bore nitro rifle. The top of the right barrel is engraved '100 Grains Cordite 900 Grain Bullet'.

The contributor then goes on to speculate on the reference to the 120 grain load on the barrel flats; whether it was a proof load, a maximum load, whether the rifle had been re-regulated and re-engraved on the barrel; whether the .600 Nitro was essentially a development from the 20 bore black powder bore rifle.

A copy of a letter of provenance from Holland & Holland for Jeffery gun no. 8371 was included in the article; the original register describing it as;

".600 bore, lever over guard, double grip rifle, bar action rebounding locks, 25"; steel barrels, sighted to 300 yards. Pistol grip stocks, plain dolls head, lever forepart. 14 lbs 10ozs.

29.2.1901 Sold £35.00"

Some other interesting things to note;

At a time when a best London Sidelock might have sold for 100 guineas, the .600 double sold for a third of the price! I daresay, that would not be the case today!

The rifle was made by the firm 'Saunders'; a major supplier of 'badge engineered' guns to the British gun trade, and obviously Jeffery was a major customer. It is commonly believed that most of Jeffery's guns were outsourced to H.Leonard & Co.