doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com L G Thomas/Griffin & Howe

I wonder if anyone can help me. I am based in the UK and have just acquired a .375 rifle whose provenance is a bit of a mystery to me. I'm looking at a beautiful rifle with engravings of lions and African scenes. On it is a serial number and
"L G Thomas Shreveport, Louisiana" and also "Griffin & Howe Inc. New York PAT. 1,856,549 May 3, 1932." Since I am in the UK i know nothing of, I assume the maker of the gun L G Thomas. Searching in your forum earlier I found in 2010 some brief references to L G Thomas when an earlier poster was inquiring. Can anyone help me - who is L G Thomas and is the Griffin & Howe date of 1932 a reference to the patent date rather than the gun date?

Sounds like a date seen on Griffin and Howe scope mount bases. Where are the G&H and patent dates located on the rifle?

Mr. Thomas is best remembered today for the target triggers he made for the Winchester 52 and Remington model 37.

He did make custom sporting rifles and I've only seen a few over the years. If you can would you please post pictures of the Thomas rifle.

The date and then the patent number both refer to the Griffin and Howe patent.

I seem to remember, but can't place my hands on it, that he may have had rifles engraved at Griffin and Howe as well.

PS: welcome to the form.

you are right they are actually on the scope mount base - so they relate to the scope that would have been there? It has the base and loops for the cope only?

Thanks Michael that's really interesting. Now, got to work out how to get photos up on the forum. Could you give me a quick pointer what i need to do. There is a serial number in relation to his name - i'm assuming if it referred to the trigger it wouldn't be emblazoned across the rifle? What years was Mr Thomas operating. Will get some pictures up once I work out what to do!

ESP,

There is a little bilking envelope at the top your screen that shows you have a private message. I sent you my e-mail and you may send the pictures to me then I'll post them. when I get your e-mail I'll send you what little I have in my file on Mr. Thomas.

I had a file on his rifles and a file on his triggers and I'm sure I gave the file on the triggers when I sold my Remington 37 that had his triggers.

Not sure what I did with the rifle file still looking for it. I was reminded via e-mail that we had discussed his work earlier and one of his rifles is marked "engraved by Griffin and Howe".

I look forward to some more pictures of the engraving especially the bottom metal from what I can see, might be Fugger engraved (he worked at G&H).

Are those coins at the base of the rings?

From what I have seen so far, that is a beautiful rifle. I look forward to seeing and learning more.

Merry Christmas to all.
Art