doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Early WW GREENER w/ FERLACH BARRELS - HELP ? ? ? ?

Hello All,

I bought this cased W.W. GREENER at a local Gun Show this weekend and I don't have a clue what I bought. I haven't pulled the trigger on a shotgun in over 15 years, and I guess I got caught up in "British Double" syndrome, and bought it.

I really need some help with this as I took a real flyer thinking it was something special. I guess I'd like to know if anyone can tell me the model, year made, proofs, etc. I'll do my best to describe it and show pictures.

Here is what I know.

The barrels are 28-1/2" long and both barrels measure 0.685" at the muzzles. Don't know the choke for sure, but I think this is "full" and "full". The stock has a strange comb, and appears to be all original and not altered, except for the recoil pad which looks like 50's or 60's vintage replacement. Could this be some kind of a "trap gun"?

It has auto-ejectors, and carved fences.

Both sides of the action have engraved; "W.W. GREENER".

The water table shows these markings:

"39135" (sn) - "1839" - "PATENT 2003" - "ENGLAND" under "SMALL ELEPHANT STAMP" - "British proofs" (2 sets) - "Sm Eagle proof" - "NP" - "3535.60"

The receiver face shows:

"W.W.GREENER / PATENT" in the shape of a football

The barrel rib is marked:

"JOSEF JUST - FERLACH AUSTRIA"

The forend is marked:

"39135"

Each of the barrels are marked:

"12/70" - "EF" (monogram) - "BOHLER ANTINIT NG" - "Sm Eagle proof" - "NP" - "3535.60"

Here are the pictures. Please, please, help me on this one as I'm really in uncharted waters.





















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Thanks in advance for any help you can give.

If you require better photos, please let me know what is required.

Your fine old Greener appears to have been rebarreled by Ferlach in Austria, probably to replace the original Damascus barrels. The elephant trademark comes from the time that WW was called upon to dispatch a rogue elephant that had escaped from a circus in London.The grade of your Greener may be on the trigger guard extension along with the serial number.

Best Regards, George

Hello George L.

There is no number on the trigger guard. It only has engraving. With it having a "bag" pistol grip, there is no "long" extension.

Your gun appears to be a Facile Priceps action from c. 1891, originally UK proofed for black powder.
The 1839 refers to the Greener ejector system patented 1881. Don't know if the 2003 is a 'patent use number'or not.As previously posted it appears to have been rebarrelled in Ferlach, not sure of date etc, probably Nitro by then but I am not familiar with German marks. Your 28.5" barrels would equate to Continental 725mm and 685 at the muzzle would give you 40 thou full choke at 725'ish bore or a bit more if the bores were 729 .
I would guess the stock is also a Ferlach replacement, never seen a Monte Carlo stock on a Greener but he did produce some 'funny' styles.
Not sure of the original Greener grade, I am sure of the more knowledgeable here will know.

I think the original bbls. got a sleeving job in Ferlach, then reproved. You can see the sleeving joints. The breech ends could be Damascus? I like it, and it is in my kind of condition. I bet it is a top notch shooter.

The sleeving job is probably correct - there is a very definite line in the pics.

BOHLER ANTINIT is the grade/brand of steel - and was a very high grade steel used by Beretta on the SO series guns.

Yes the barrels were sleeved by Josef Just of Ferlach and proofed there in 1960 (together with the action). The stock doesn't look Ferlach made at all, it could well be original IMO.

With kind regards,
Jani

I have a WW Greener Royal (golden crown on lever) from about the same period and yours seems to be a grade below.

With kind regards,
Jani