doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com another unusual gun, Henry Sears and Co.

This is a 12 gauge, but somewhat unknown. What do you think after seeing the pictures ?

I love the feathers carved into the barrels.
Beautifully designed gun.

It is Birmingham proofed as an 11 bore.

It would be unusual for a12 bore to be built and proofed at that size, unless possibly for thin walled brass cases ( a “chamberless gun”).

No disrespect, but are you sure it is not a 10 bore (or 11 bore - I understand that cartridges were offered in that size in the 19th century)?

Patent No. 3718/1877 was taken out by Christopher George Bonehill. Added an extra bite to the Purdey double bolt system, but sometimes made using the same lever work but no third bite ( Crudginton and Baker Volume 2).

Therefore most probably made for export by Bonehill in Birmingham.

The feather shaped sections appear from your photos to be of a piece with the metal of the barrel flats.

Is it an early use of the “clip lump” he included in his 1884 patent for a hammerless gun?

The clip lump seems from the descriptions to be very similar to the “slipper lump” currently used by B. Rizzini

Looks just like a parkhurst same crappy engraving

Parabola, it is indeed a 10 bore. My memory was faulty when I was posting. The Parker brass 10 bore case [was it from Track of the Wolf??] fits perfectly. I'll attach a couple of pics to look at the lump style. Thanks for identifying the Bonehill patent.

Proofed at 11 ga., bored as a 10 gauge fits a pattern in my guns (both ML and early breechloader). I have and ML proofed at 14 ga. bored as a 13 gauge; an early breechloader proofed as a 13 gauge, bored and chambered as a 12 gauge.

I like the engraving you yours, Daryl. Interesting gun.

Dear Daryl,

Thank you for the additional photographs. Looking at the one with the extractor removed I believe that I can see diagonal lines of the joint between the lump and the barrels on either side of the extractor rod hole and guide hole.

If it was a conventional dovetail lump then I would expect the joint lines to angle back towards the barrel flats and the lumps themselves.

If it is a form of clip lump the lines should instead turn outwards horizontally and parallel to the barrel flats.

On Bonehill’s 1884 patent guns the clip lump extended upwards between the barrels to form the rear of the top rib and barrel top extension. It also appears to extend to the short rear under rib and barrel loop.

Best Regards

Parabola

Hi Daryl,
Still waching your posts with interest.
Records show,
Henry Sears and Co,
88 Lake Street,
Chicago,
Circa, mid 1880. Distributors and gunsmiths.Sold hammer gunsbranded with their own name.
Very best wishes
Roy

Looks like a mid 70's weapon made by W and C Scott as a private label