doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com A Theophilus Murcott pinfire

I am gathering information on a 12-bore Theophilus Murcott pinfire game gun, number 1194. Unfortunately it is in poor condition, and it was converted in its working life to centre-fire � but it is the only Murcott pinfire I�ve ever come across. Perhaps someone else has a Murcott pinfire and can help shed some light on some of the details?

The barrel rib is marked �Theops Murcott 68 Haymarket London SW�, so I�m presuming it was made after 1866. It has an unmarked Jones-type double screw grip action. The inside of the quality bar locks are marked �J.S�, which I presume is for John Stanton. The conversion is fairly well done, with filled and re-engraved pin holes; a sliding extractor fitted around the lump under the barrels, with corresponding grooves on the action bar; firing pin assemblies fitted through the fences, and replacement hammers with matching engraving. On the barrel flats between the lugs is stamped �T & L�. Could this possibly be for Tipping & Lawden, who may have performed the conversion? I�m aware T. Murcott was an agent for Tipping & Lawden before starting his own business. Might anyone have information that suggests business links might have been maintained?

The stock escutcheon is engraved �RBS, 28th Regt�, which would appear to be for Capt. Robert Burn Singer of the 28th (The North Gloucestershire) Regiment of Foot.

Any information on surviving Murcott pinfires would be very welcome!

Hello Steve Nash
Welcome on your first posting

Something like this?
https://goo.gl/images/HGHU76

http://www.positiveshooting.com/HistoryoftheSportingGun.html

https://goo.gl/images/i4kcAA

https://www.gunsinternational.com/guns-f...un_id=101009654

https://www.gunsinternational.com/guns-f...un_id=100923953

Thank you, Skeettx, for your kind welcome and links. The stock photo of the Murcott pinfire with the R. Adams action (Patent no. 285 of 1860) is the only other Murcott pinfire game gun I've been able to find mention of. Mine is but the generic unmarked double-bite Jones-type underlever, though it was originally of good quality.

Available serial number information is sparse. Nigel Brown gives a c.1867 date for no. 490, and gives no. 1877 the wide range of 1875-1887! I may have to live with a range of 1866-1870 or so.

This was indeed my first post, but it won't be my last. I have been researching the British pinfire game gun for more than 20 years, and I'm working towards a book on the subject. I am new to becoming involved in message boards, however. Now I just need to figure out how to add photos to posts.

Mr. Nash, this is an interesting subject for me. I have been collecting and shooting pinfires [shotguns] for some years and have a few from several countries including some British. I cannot give you any specific answers on your questions off of the top of my head, but will look for some information. It has been my experience that many, especially British, pinfires were conversions from muzzle loaders. Then later some pinfires were converted to centerfires such as yours. Lots of history there.

One question. Are the JS marked locks in your gun the rebounding type ?

Daryl Hallquist darylh1942@gmail.com

wait a minute, didnt murcott play third base for the astros back in the fifties...or am i thinkin o anutter mercotte?

Steve, glad to see you found your way here. I'm still marveling at your pinfire assortment we got a chance to see a couple weeks ago at the SxS shoot in Oshawa. So glad you joined us.

James

Mr. Hallquist, it is good to hear from a fellow pinfire collector. They were, for a very short time, the best sporting guns in the world!

Indeed, it was not unusual to have one's prized muzzle-loader converted to the pinfire system, or have their pinfire converted to centre-fire, and some conversions are devilishly difficult to spot. I have acquired seven other conversions: a 12-bore pinfire by George Fuller of London, converted from percussion; a 16-bore single-barrel pinfire gun by Thomas George Sylven of London (a specialist in conversions), made with a barrel from a R. Seffens muzzle-loader; a 10-bore pinfire by James Woodward of London, converting a Charles Moore pellet-lock; a 12-bore pinfire by an unknown English maker, converted from percussion; a 12-bore pinfire by The Breechloading Armoury of London, converted to fire both pinfire and centre-fire shells; a 12-bore pinfire by William Powell of Birmingham, also converted to dual-fire; and a 12-bore pinfire by Westley Richards of Birmingham, converted to centre-fire only by Westley Richards according to their patent no. 1960 of 1866.

To your question, the Murcott pinfire conversion retained its non-rebounding locks, which suggests to me it was an early effort, as a conversion made much after 1871 would likely have included the rebounding feature.

James, thanks for encouraging me to take the plunge into the message boards. I expect I'll be posting here quite a bit, with lots of photos to follow. And I'm looking forward to the next SxS meet, a thoroughly enjoyable event!

Steve

Hi Steve;
I am not a pinfire collector as such as I only have one. This one is a W&C Scott 12 gauge bar in wood. A Mr Crawford who was once representative for Scott in the US did some research on it. It was not serial numbered which he said was the first Scott he had knowledge of which was not numbered. It was marked on the top rib who it was made for, which was a Benjamin D Kennedy from Louisville KY, USA.

It is a top lever opener built on a Matthews patent. Mr Crawford estimated its build date as between 1863-65 as Matthews patent he said was issued in 1863, but also believes it to pre-date the Scott Spindle. It bolts with a single underbolt. I do not know if this gun was a conversion or not. He stated it would have been an A grade.

I acquired it from a gentleman who lived in Louisville. He had tried to research Mr Kennedy. all he was ever able to find was that he was issued a business license for a Jewelry Store for several years which included the time frame this gun was built. He apparently was neither born nor died in Louisville as no birth or death records were found.

I once had a Boss gun which was originally pin-fire but converted to center-fire. I seriously considered restoring it but passed it along to someone else. A small profit beats a money pit every time!...Geo