Your gun is similar looking to a Needham, but a Needham patent action will automatically put the hammers at half cock with the lever when you open the gun. Does your smith put the hammers at half cock when you close the action ? also, is your forearm attached with a machine screw ? William Richards guns used Joseph Smith's patent action and his guns have many of the same features, however the william richards firm is much older. I wonder if there is a connection from the early days in Birmingham when they might have worked there together ?
