"A Magnificent Museum Quality Cased 297-250 Watson Bros. Rook Rifle - 1880s - Minty"

Suggested to bring to this forum also ...

Hello All,

The fun part of any collecting is when you finally obtain an elusive treasure, and then you share your find with fellow collectors.

So, here's my latest acquisition:

A Watson Brothers Rook Rifle - 297-250 Rook cal - Lightly Engraved - Side Lever - Ejector - 5 lbs 3 oz - 14-1/2" LOP - 26" Round Barrel - Island Front & Rear Sight - 1 Standing 2 Folding Rear Site marked: 50,100,150 - Presentation Stock - Checkered Butt - Horn Forend Tip & Grip Cap - Alligator Skin Case - Glass Oil Bottle - Parker Hale Patches

I own quite a few Rook rifles in various calibers, but this is the Finest I've ever had the pleasure to own.

As always, your comments are welcome.

And it is invisible. Again.

Very nice!! I love the stock figure! Is a cased Rook rifle uncommon? I haven’t seen one before that I can remember, but I don’t usually pay close attention to them. This one certainly grabs your eye!

Congrats and thanks for sharing!

-Tom

Hello Tom Davis,
Thanks for the reply.

I wouldn't call a Cased Rook rifle Rare ... more like not very common. Of those I've seen for sale over the years, only about 1 in 50 have been cased.

............ seems very strange that some people can't see the photos ... they should check their filters .........
...... apparently most can see them .. for those that can't ... here's a direct link .. http://www.buckstix.com/buckpics/watson-0.jpg

Beautiful.

From the shaping of the front and rear sight bases, I would say it was made by Webley for Watson Brothers.

Hello Parabola,
Thanks for the reply.

Yes, I agree. Webley made a lot of guns for the trade back in the 1880s. Interestingly, the trigger guard looks identical to those that Webley used on their revolvers.

Cased Greener with a nice piece of wood

Hello parabola,

Is the cased Greener yours?

Yup.

Having watched Nick Holt extolling it on YouTube TGS Outdoors “100 EPIC Guns at Holts” at 50.06 I expected it to go well over the £1,200 top estimate.

I put in a just in case bid a bit over bottom estimate and was surprised and delighted to find I had won!

what caliber?

Started as a Rook rifle. Rifled by Adams and Tate, action probably made by Tipping and Lawden.

Re-proofed 1971 as .410 3inch, but I suspect may have been bored out earlier?

Awaiting delivery, so I will have a better idea when I have examined the original proof marks.

I found the Holt's listing ... very nice ... Maybe you can find a gunsmith that can put it back to its original caliber. As you know, original caliber should be marked on the bottom of the barrel.

The original calibre was not shown on the Proof marks on the bottom of the barrel, and may have be on the upper side flats until they were struck down to be engraved MAY GREENER on one side and THE CEDARS ERDLINGTON on the other.

Graham Greener has kindly informed me it was built in 1882, with an octagonal barrel in .380 and was one of 14 identical rifles.