doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com E.M. Reilly; History; Chronology; Serial Numbers

That is my conclusion Raimey. Reilly like Trantor and others appear to have had connections to Liège dating to the early 1850's and the early days of the break-action guns. I've speculated (and others as well including Vic Ventors) that Lang and even Hodges, the "originator" of the English center-break gun, got his barrels and actions from Liège as well in 1854 . .how else to explain how British barrelsmiths decided to grind down the "shoulder" on the barrel chambers to create a forcing cone - a shoulder that was prominent on Lefaucheaux guns (also built in Liège).
27 Dec 1857 - "The Field":


I figure Reilly imported the first 40 or so Comblains - maybe more - and finished them; after all it was a collaborative effort. He might have proofed and finished another 100 or so in London. You'll see "H. Holland" (Harris Holland soon to be H&H) bought one from Reilly and sold it . . PUN 125 with an elaborate underplate to dress it up. Then Reilly moved production to Birmingham bumping the PUN's up to start anew at 5,000.

There are a couple of indistinct inspections marks on the breech. . one clearly UK. . the others?


Here is the new Chapter on the Reilly-Comblain. I'll edit it down a bit. This is conjecture but logical (so call it by its scientific term - - "analysis"):

*52 1868-70: Reilly-Comblain Breech Loaders (No Reilly SN):



Almost immediately after the Snider was formally adopted UK Secretary of War announced a new competition for a purpose-built breech loader. Possibly in response to this competition Reilly, still dreaming of a big military contract, in 1867 obtained sole manufacturing rights to Hubert-Joseph Comblain's breech loader, which had been patented in Belgium. The gun was assigned UK Patent No. 2778 of October 2nd, 1867 (Reilly is not mentioned in the patent). It fired the .577 “Boxer” (Snider) cartridge. The gun was featured in a May 1868 article in “The Engineer.”*52a

Reilly did not submit the rifle for the competition in summer 1867 as required (obviously). Rather, the entire competition was reopened in February 1868 after another wave of breech loaders was submitted and while the committee was working on accuracy issues for the barrels. The Reilly-Comblain, however, was part of the large group rejected in July 1868 when the committee settled on the Henry barrel, rifling and cartridge and selected a final 9 actions to be tested. In February 1869 the committee chose to unite the Martini action with the Henry barrel and rifling system and the "Martini-Henry" was born.*52b

Reilly mounted an extensive newspaper advertisement campaign for the Reilly-Comblain rifle in UK. The first advertisement appeared in Feb 1868 (when the competition for the action was reopened to late-comers) and ads continued almost daily until July 1868.*52c After that the ads were confined to long-range publicity contracts with guide books up until about 1870 when they disappeared entirely.*52d His advertisements spanned a relatively short time period and after the Reilly-Comblain was eliminated from the competition emphasized both "military and sporting uses" for the rifle.

Note: The Comblain in a new less awkward form was featured in newspaper articles and shooting contests throughout the early 1870’s especially in reports on UK Volunteer Services militia; UK and Russia were the two guarantors of Belgian independence. Reilly appears to have abandoned his association with Comblain by that time.)*52e. The Comblain was later adopted by the Belgian and Brazilian armies (though not in the Reilly-Comblain configuration); It was used by Brazil for 30 years. Reilly had nothing to do with these contracts.*52e

Per patent use numbers Reilly apparently finished, numbered or built some 600+ Comblain's in UK over 3 years 1868-71.
. . .It looks as if Reilly imported Belgian made guns for the Trial, PUN's 1-50 perhaps. PUN 14 for instance has Belgian proofs. PUN 37 also has a Belgian proof mark on the barrel and Liège "finished gun" proofs on the breech. PUN 37 also has a Reilly serial number 15492, which would date it to October 1868, the only Comblain found so far with a Reilly SN.
. . .Subsequently he built (or finished) 100 or so guns in London for the sporting rifle market selling some of them to other makers including one sold by H.Holland (PUN 125).
. . .Probably in fall 1868 production of these sporting rifles was transferred to Birmingham. It looks as if the PUN numbers were jumped up to start anew at PUN 5,000.
. . .600 rifles made/finished by Reilly or sold by Reilly to others "in the white" In the course of two years plus are not an inconsiderable number. Who bought these guns and where they went is something of a mystery. Perhaps various militia units adopted them; the units could choose their own weapons.

There are a number of Reilly-Comblain's extant. There is not enough information presented in the advertisements for these guns to be able to discern definitive patterns. However, following are some additional observations:
. . . . .-- The first existing Reilly-Comblain is use number #14. It has Belgian proofs. (See below for details). Since the first ad appeared in February, this gun likely was dated to March or April 1868.
. . . . .-- The earliest Reilly-Comblains up to at least PUN 37 have Belgian proof marks on the barrels. The PUN had to have been added in the UK.
. . . . .-- Only one of the Comblain rifles has a Reilly serial number 15492, PUN 37 dated to October 1868. This indicates that Reilly made (or finished) a very limited number in London, 37 between February and October 1868, 4 a month.
. . . . .-- The last extant Reilly-Comblain is use number #5439 with E.M. Reilly & Co., Sole Manufactures, New Oxford St, London on the action. It has Birmingham proofs. (See below for details).
. . . . .-- Most guns have “E.M.Reilly & Co., Sole Manufacturers, New Oxford St., London” just ahead of the breech. The Patent use number is stamped on the breechblock just ahead of the bolt.
. . . . .-- Most early Reilly-Comblains have only the London address (not Paris); however one trial gun has “Paris” stamped on the butt plate.
. . . . .-- Most of the extant guns with a PUN higher than 5000 have Birmingham proofs and have a “Patented by” or a “warranted by” “E.M. Reilly & Co., London, Paris” stamped on the stock or on the breech.

A Few Extant Reilly-Comblain Rifles:

. . . . .Patent use #14. This is the earliest Reilly-Comblain known. It was mentioned in a gun chat site thus information is quite limited. It is stamped on the barrel ahead of the breach “E.M.Reilly & Co., Sole Manufacturers, New Oxford St., London”; on the lock plate “E.M.Reilly & Co. London.” The caliber is .577 .The barrel is 30.5 inches long. The Obelisk can be clearly seen on the breech block; It is the Belgian Inspectors mark for final proof. It is bereft of other numbers other than #14 on its stock.*52f

. . . . .Patent use #32. .577 Reilly-Comblain rifle, serial no. 32. Blued 30in barrel, block and blade fore-sight, ladder rear-sight, the breech block signed 'E.M. REILLY & Co. RIFLE MANUFACTURERS, NEW OXFORD STREET, LONDON', block signed 'REILLY-COMBLAIN PATENT No. 32', plain color-hardened lock signed 'E.M. REILLY & Co. LONDON.”*52g

. . . . .Patent use #37. .Reilly SN 15492 (Oct 1868): 23 bore (.587) Reilly-Comblain rifle, serial no. 37. Block and blade fore-sight, ladder rear-sight, with London proofs along with a Belgian black powder proof mark on 30.5” barrels. The breech block signed H.COMBLAIN BREVETTE 37, plain color-hardened lock signed 'E.M. REILLY & Co. LONDON.” The barrel has a Liège proof mark overstamped by London proofs. The breech has Liège “finished gun” proof marks.*52h

. . . . .Patent use #125. .577 Snider, 20 1/2" barrel. The top of the action is engraved "H. HOLLAND / 98 NEW BOND ST. / LONDON", the lock plate is engraved simply "H. HOLLAND" and the breechblock is marked "REILLY-COMBLAIN / PATENT NO. / 125". A brass plaque affixed to the bottom of the stock beneath action is beautifully engraved "Reilly / Comblain / Patent / No. 25”. (sic. It's 125 per the stamp on the action; Harris Holland was as big of a con man as the rest of the gun trade) *52i

. . . . .Patent use ???. This rifle is stamped on the barrel ahead of the breach E.M.Reilly & Co Sole Manufacturers New Oxford St., London on the lock plate E.M.Reilly & Co. London. Caliber is .577.*52j

. . . . .Patent use ???. This rifle is stamped on the barrel ahead of the breach E.M.Reilly & Co Sole Manufacturers New Oxford St., “Reilly Comblain Patent” stamped on the breech; London on the lock plate E.M.Reilly & Co. London. Caliber is .577.*52k

. . . . .Patent use #5048: Reilly Comblain rifle; 30” barrel with Birmingham proofs. "25" (i.e. .577), saber bayonet lug and typical period Enfield sights; 5-groove rifling like the 1860 or '61 Short Rifles. Chambered for the .577 Snider round. Receiver ring stamped "E.M.REILLY & Co / SOLE MANUFACTURERS / NEW OXFORD STREET / LONDON" . Breechblock stamped "REILLY-COMBLAIN / PATENT No 5048". Butt is marked with a large 3" ink stamp "PATENTED BY E.M. REILLY & Co., LONDON & PARIS".*52l

. . . . .Patent use #5051: E.M. REILLY & CO. LONDON. Reilly-Comblain Patent No. 5051. On Barrel, E.M. REILLY & CO, SOLE MANUFACTURERS, NEW OXFORD STREET, LONDON. Warranted by E.M. REILLY & Co. London & Paris.*52m

. . . . .Patent use #5109 #5109: British Reilly-Comblain breechloading trails rifle. Overall length is approximately 49”. The 29¾” round .577 caliber centerfire barrel. Barrel is marked with the usual London proofs and caliber (25) mark. The breech is marked “E.M. Reilly & Co/ Sole manufactures/ New Oxford St/ London”. Stock is marked in ¼” letters on the right butt in an oval “warranted by/ E.M. Reilly & Co/ London & Paris.” There are also two small inspection stamps to the rear of the trigger guard tang. *52q

. . . . .Patent use #5298. Fusil d'infanterie, percussion centrale, modele E. M. Reilly ; calibre 14.8 mm ; canon poli blanc, poinconne et signe : "E. M. Reilly & Co., Sole Manufacturers, New Oxford Street London" ; culasse marque : "Reilly Comblain patent nr 5298"; platine avant polie blanc (carbon steel), marque : "E M Reilly & Co., London.”*52o

. . . . .Patent use #5439. E.M REILLY & CO, LONDON;.577 BREECH-LOADING CARBINE, MODEL 'REILLY-COMBLAIN PATENT', serial no. 5439, probably converted from a Pattern 1861 Cavalry Carbine. 18 1/2in. blued barrel, block and blade fore-sight, small elevating ladder rear-sight, the top of breech block stamped “E.M. REILLY & CO, SOLE MANUFACTURERS, NEW OXFORD STREET, LONDON”; the top of the breechblock marked “REILLY-COMBLAIN PATENT NO. 5439”, plain flat bar-action lock marked “E.M. REILLY & CO, LONDON,” walnut full-stock, the right hand side of butt stamped in large oval form 'WARRANTED BY E.M. REILLY & CO. LONDON & PARIS', iron furniture including two barrel-bands and jag-ended clearing rod, much finish remaining.*52p