Forums.NitroExpress.com

Hi Guys

It has been shot only on a few occasions. By good luck a standard snider load of 70 grains volume of pyrodex (black powder needs more paperwork in UK)with a .582ish 480 grain lead bullet give around 2-3inches at 25 yards (as good as I can shoot with open sights)- [useless bullet with the snider, had to go to .600 round ball]

Curl - Many thanks for your compliments, I am pleased that others can enjoy.

The origins of the bar action locks were, as you say, in the percussion days. They were much more work to fit to a break open action and were generally used in the more expensive guns/rifles

The hammer cartridge guns/rifles were only at their peak from late 1860s to early 1870s or so, when the hammerless actions were clearly the way forward.
There were many locking systems tried from 1862? principally in shotguns, until the top lever (with the Jones underlever, especially in rifles) became the norm.

Many people preferred hammerguns which were kept going until well after the turn of the century
Many of these were cheaper versions and the back action locks became popular partly because they were easier to fit to the stock, instead of the action. Almost all makers, to a greater or lesser degree, bought in locks from lockmakers

This is not to denigrate your back action rifles, many are truly excellent, and all the top makers made 'best' guns and rifles using them

I had not noticed the locks were non-rebounding!! Another reason for considering this is a quite early rifle.
From the general appearance I would not think it was originally percussion, although such guns do exist

This pic shows the barrel flats with the standard London proofmrks - View, provisional and final proof, with 25 bore - interesting! - I calculated this to be .571", but it slugs at .583" which is what the (more modern) PH (Parker-Hale?) mould is that came with the rifle

Wedge securing fore end, compare with next pics - an earlier system?

These two Purdey shotguns, 1871 and 1875 show best quality guns from both systems

TH44

Edited by CptCurl (25/01/10 04:42 AM)

Post Extras