|
S |
M |
T |
W |
T |
F |
S |
|
|
|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
9
|
10
|
11
|
|
12
|
13
|
14
|
15
|
16
|
17
|
18
|
|
19
|
20
|
21
|
22
|
23
|
24
|
25
|
|
26
|
27
|
28
|
29
|
30
|
31
|
|
|
|
Forums10
Topics39,489
Posts561,994
Members14,584
| |
Most Online9,918
Jul 28th, 2025
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 454 Likes: 129
Sidelock
|
OP
Sidelock
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 454 Likes: 129 |
happened upon this late 1920's rigby boxlock, obviously built on a webley action...https://www.gunbroker.com/Item/1073536403. seller tells me that it was imported from england earlier this year, having been bought from "ian hodge fieldsports", who told him the gun had been reproofed for 2 3/4" shells - and was proofed for steel shot. in fact, the guns proofs are normal 1925-54 london markings...showing no "reproof" marks, nor 2 3/4" chambers - and certainly no indication of steel shot testing.
the 3rd photo shows the action flats with two screws, that appear to be installed after the gun was proofed - because they obliterate parts of the london view markings. what are these screws function? - i'm not accustomed to seeing them on webley's?
also the gun has two screws (photos #5 & #9) that seem to be in the typical locations for an overhanging sear. they also interrupt the border line engraving - which make me wonder if they are after-the-fact modifications.
can anyone shine a little light on this?
best regards,
tom
"it's a poor sort of memory that only works backwards."
lewis carroll, Alice in Wonderland
|
|
1 member likes this:
Parabola |
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 10,718 Likes: 1355
Sidelock
|
|
Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 10,718 Likes: 1355 |
Did you happen to notice the bolt through the head of the stock?
I don’t see evidence of reproof, either. I’m having a hard time believing the proof house would accept an older 2 1/2” boxlock for steel shot reproof. Or, that they would fail to mark a gun that had been subjected to that.
The world is awash in older, English 12 gauge boxlocks at the moment. I’ll go out on a limb and guess very few, or, none of them have been reproofed for steel shot.
Best,
Ted
|
|
1 member likes this:
sharps4590 |
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 11,571 Likes: 165
Sidelock
|
|
Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 11,571 Likes: 165 |
Are there photos attached somewhere that I'm missing? There are British steel loads which are specifically made for guns that have not passed steel shot reproof. However those shells have very different ballistics (lower velocity, lower pressure, smaller shot sizes) than those approved for guns that have passed steel shot proof.
|
|
2 members like this:
sharps4590, Jimmy W |
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 10,718 Likes: 1355
Sidelock
|
|
Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 10,718 Likes: 1355 |
Are there photos attached somewhere that I'm missing? There are British steel loads which are specifically made for guns that have not passed steel shot reproof. However those shells have very different ballistics (lower velocity, lower pressure, smaller shot sizes) than those approved for guns that have passed steel shot proof. I imagine it doesn’t take more than a box or two of those lower velocity steel loads to convince the owner of an old double that he has to up his game with a newer gun that can handle the hotter loads. Then another old double hits a saturated market. Many of the boxlocks that had the overhanging sears have had them disabled at this point in time. Adding them after the fact would seem a fools errand, drilling and tapping a case hardened action to install a system that history deemed less important on a boxlock than the system used on a sidelock. The angle of the sear in the bent does a pretty good job of preventing a boxlock from firing unless the trigger is pulled. This isn’t the case on a typical sidelock gun. The screws in the action flats I haven’t a clue. They were timed nicely when they were put in. That probably cancels the notion that they adjust anything. Best, Ted
|
|
1 member likes this:
Parabola |
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 476 Likes: 76
Sidelock
|
Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 476 Likes: 76 |
Larry the photos are here: Rigby on GunbrokerI see no evidence of reproof and definitely not steel shot proofed. Either the seller is ignorant, uninformed or lying, you choose. The bolt through the head of the stock usually indicates repair of a crack. I'd also like to know why the timed screws are in the action flats. Since the screws cut off part of both the left and right view marks it is obviously that they were installed after the gun was proofed so I don't think they were part of the gun as originally manufactured.
|
|
1 member likes this:
Parabola |
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2020
Posts: 1,198 Likes: 550
Sidelock
|
|
Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2020
Posts: 1,198 Likes: 550 |
Just a WAG but the timed screws, which cut into and clearly post date the application of the view marks, seem to line up with the ejector kickers shown at the front of the knuckle.
Might they indicate a conversion to ejector, perhaps covering vertical springs?
Perhaps intercepting sears were added at the same time?
Though as Ted says it is more common to find that they have been removed as being more trouble than they were worth.
Last edited by Parabola; 11/10/24 04:33 PM.
|
|
1 member likes this:
Hammergun |
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 14,447 Likes: 278
Sidelock
|
|
Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 14,447 Likes: 278 |
The original question was about a "Webley screw grip action". I have a couple of guns with the Webley screw grip, neither of them Webleys. I think it is a great locking system that should have been used on more guns than it was.
|
|
1 member likes this:
CJF |
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 10,718 Likes: 1355
Sidelock
|
|
Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 10,718 Likes: 1355 |
The original question was about a "Webley screw grip action". I have a couple of guns with the Webley screw grip, neither of them Webleys. I think it is a great locking system that should have been used on more guns than it was. The Verne Carron “Helice” was about the same, if it makes you feel any better… Best, Ted
|
|
|
|
|
