Snap action rifle built with damascus tubes sometime in the early 1890's, chambered in 500-450 #1 express. I'm tickled to have this one in my collection, it is a superb rifle.

An elegant thumper!

I think that is the best looking sidelock lever combination

"What do you use for ammunition?"

"Rolls of pre-war silver dimes. I swage 'em down a bit."

That is at once spare, brutal, and elegant-looking. That dark wood (presume it's a combination of old school stock oils + patination ) gives it a serious dose of gravitas.

Steve has posted close up photos of this beautiful Grant DR on one of the DR websites. You can see the damascus pattern well.

http://forums.nitroexpress.com/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=381412&Main=381362#Post381412

I have 40 or 50 cases of near new brass kicking around here somewhere from a rifle I no longer have.

I would be interested in buying those cases.

I just heard back from Stephen Grant:

completed 6th July 1894 for the HH Maharana of Oodeypoor (Udaipur) and is described as a hammerless .500/450 Express rifle.

Pretty late for a snap action under lever in my opinion.

Possibly the customer went with what he knew? What his father had used, for example? "I'd like precisely what you supplied to my father fifteen years ago, which has rendered him wonderful service, except I need it to make larger holes."

Written in fountain pen, sent to the gunmakers via the Suez Canal. Lengthy back-and-forth correspondence ensues. Design is obsolete by the time it ships, but they still knew how to make 'em.

Wonderful rifle, is that what they called the Automatic Action?

The Automatic was a Woodward patent, typically seen with the "bug eye" tumbler protruding through the lockplate. The Grant is a different action though quite a few Woodward automatics were made as snap action guns.

Steve, I sent an email on the 25th to the Hotmail address on your website about the brass. Did you not get it?

Email replied to, sorry I dropped the ball on that one.