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I’ve loitered around this site on and off over the years so I thought it time to show off some of my rifles. Pictured below is a pinfire double rifle by Joseph Lang of London. The records now held by Atkin, Grant & Lang describe it as a 72 bore pinfire double rifle which was completed on 1st March 1862 for Henry Chaplin.

The rifle itself has a forward facing rotary underlever which is common with the early Lang breechloaders. It has single bite locking as opposed to the more common Jones type underlever which typically had double locking lugs. This type of action was invented in France by Lefaucheux and was introduced into Britain by Lang after being displayed at the 1851 Great Exhibition in London.

I’d never previously heard of a 72 bore pinfire cartridge but assume it’s some variation of a 12mm pinfire rifle cartridge of which there were quite a few at the time. The cartridge however does appear to be of a rimmed type of pinfire but I haven’t yet got around to making a chamber cast or slugging the bore. The action flats are also stamped with .466 which seems to fit in with the 12mm bore size.

The only real fault with it is the two small plates inletted into the wrist of the stock presumably to strengthen a crack, although I can’t see any cracking at all.

Research on the original owner, Henry Chaplin, show that he was born on 22nd December 1840 and educated at Harrow and Oxford where he was a close friend of the Prince of Wales (later Edward VII). On turning 21 he inherited vast estates in Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire. He mixed in the highest social class but nevertheless became involved in several scandals, most notably where his fiancée pretty much left him at the alter and ran off with his mate.

Above: A Young Henry Chaplin, in 1859, aged 18.

He was a typical country gentleman of the time, interested mainly in shooting, fox hunting and horse racing. One of his horses, Hermit won the 1867 English Derby. It’s also worth noting that this rifle was completed just three months after receiving his inheritance, perhaps it was a present to himself to celebrate his new wealth.

He first entered parliament in 1868 as the MP for Mid-Lincolnshire served as a cabinet minister and in other roles until retiring in 1916 when he was raised to the peerage as the 1st Viscount Chaplin.

Above: 1st Viscount Chaplin

I’ve also acquired a biography of his life written by his daughter, the Marchioness of Londonderry. In it she describes his hunting trips through Canada and India in the 1860’s, as well as deer stalking in Scotland but unfortunately there’s no mention anywhere of a pinfire double rifle. Research is ongoing.

Further information on Henry Chaplin is available on these links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Chaplin,_1st_Viscount_Chaplin

http://www.macla.co.uk/blankney/chaplin2.php

Cheers

RJW

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