"The Automatic" patent was originally for a hammer gun which lever cocked the exposed hammers on opening, a very novel idea at that time and the automatic reference. Just neater 'n all get out for hammergun people. The under lever allowed simple linkage as opposed to a top lever. JW made a number of attempts to circumvent the Purdey patent, but wound up using it most of the time. Toby has /has had some interesting variations, one a scissor type bolt. A few hammergun "The Automatics" were made, but most were hammerless as the hammerless guns were quickly becoming the fashion.
The earliest "The Automatic" ejector in my virtual collection is #3761 for 1880. I would not be surprised to find it was converted at a later date. The next is #4323 for 1887 and ejector guns are fairly common thereafter. The last UL "The Automatic" in my V-collection is #5479 circa 1900, a non-ejector shot and ball gun.
DDA
