Following on Gunsaholic's recent thread about his unfired Webley & Scott, here are some pix of a new-to-me circa 1885 Grant 10 bore. Apologies for the glare.

It appears to be barely used, perhaps because at 12 pounds 13 ounces you would need a gunbearer to carry the beast. I don't have a chamber gauge but an unfired 3.5" brass shell seats with the rim 1/4" out.

You are truly a fortunate man to own such a piece.
I love the butt on it. My favorite way to have them.
Jones underlever to boot, and the condition, just, WoW!

O.M

Lovely gun! Stunning condition too.

Beautiful condition. Thanks for showing it to us.

How is it choked? Tight in both, I hope?

SRH

Wow! Makes you wonder how such a gun could get so little use over so long a period. Great find. What’s the barrel length?

You have one fantastic double there. Congrats!

There is some choke in the left barrel.

I can imagine the conversations. “Let’s go goose hunting” . “OK, go get the gun”. “You go get the gun”. “No, you go get the gun. That thing is heavy”.

“Let’s go fishing”


Beautiful piece.

Best,
Ted

Most of us who own large and varied collections would be as happy if we sold everything and just kept a few examples like this Grant.

Ain't that the truth!

Spectacular "English Best" 4 Iron Crolle.

Wonderful gun. I gotta ask....do you plan on using it? I hope the answer is yes. It would look even better next to a brace of fat mallards or even some geese. :-)

http://www.rstshells.com/store/p/177-10-Ga-2-7/8-Lite-Vel-1150-1-3/8-oz-Load-Box

Well, that woke me up...just remarkable, thanks for posting it.

Have a pic of the smaller label?

That is truly spectacular. I am pretty sure that Stephen Grant never made a less than extremely handsome gun, but few look as sharp as that one. I'll have to agree with LaFuse (for once), it would look great indeed if garnished with some freshly molted waterfowl (or a turkey, this being the time of year).

Thanks for all the kind comments, especially Doc Drew for the Damascus identification.

CB, the barrels are 32", Stan, it is choked cylinder in the right, .035 in the left.

Rob, see the charge card below.

Two questions: for what purpose would someone want such a heavy gun with this choke configuration?; and
assuming it won't be handled much, what is the best way to preserve the colors? I used Renaissance Wax when it first came to me.

LeFusil and Brent: Yes, it certainly should be used but I probably won't - I would be terrified of tripping and bashing it while turkey hunting, falling face flat in the marsh, or smacking it on the side of a pit blind. Tragically, due to the lock down I won't be able to hunt turkeys at all this year; I normally use a Smallwood hammer ten for that, but had planned on my Greener 12 bore Far Killing Duck hammergun this year. Brass shells, BP, and bismuth in both.

I know nothing about its history but Atkins Grant & Long sent me the ledger entry, with a later penciled note that it "..has some connection to Douglas Tate."

Curtis & Harvey “T.S.” (Treble Strong) was developed in 1871 for the .577/450 Boxer-Henry cartridge used in the Martini-Henry rifle. It was a precursor to “R.F.G.2” (Rifled Fine Grain 2) manufactured at the Royal Gunpowder Mills, Essex, adopted in 1873.
C&H, "T.S." No. 6 (84 grain = 3 Dr. Eq.) was coarse Black Powder somewhat similar (but not equivalent) to Fg.
C&H, “T.S.” No. 4 (82 gr. = 3 Dr. Eq.) medium grain similar to FFg
C&H, “T.S.” No. 2 (72 gr. = 3 Dr. Eq.) fine grain similar to FFFg.
https://books.google.com/books?id=inQCAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA296&dq

1 1/8 oz 3 Dr. 12 gauge pressure was listed as 5820 psi + 10-14% for modern piezo transducer numbers
1 1/4 oz. 3 1/4 Dr. was 7790 psi + 10-14%

4 1/2 Drams 1 1/2 oz. is a BOOMER load even in a 10g