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[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]
[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]
[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]


Gentlemen,

When the Ancient Romans first had the Giraffe described to them they decided that it incorporated features of the Camel and the Leopard and named it the “Cameleopard”.

This evening I present an almost as unusual cross, that probably did not involve the use of a stepladder.

I have mentioned this gun, number 30227 before in Argo44’s Reilly history thread as I was awaiting it from Southams. It was catalogued as “Westley Richards type top lever opening”. I was anticipating that it would be an early Anson and Deeley.

What arrived was intriguingly very different.

The action is the first model of Greener’s Facile Princeps, circa 1881 with a cocking hook attached to the front lump in place of the later sliding stud.

The lever and bolt work is Greener, instead of a Scott spindle.

But instead of the triple locking cross bolt to be expected on a Facile Princeps there is a top extension resembling but not identical to the Westley Richards. It lacks the eccentric double camming arrangement of a true Westley Richards and the sliding top bolt has a relatively short travel.

The original proof marks were mostly expunged when it was sleeved (and it has been restocked) but it is clear that it originally bore London marks. I have taken the stock off and cannot find any hidden makers marks.

On the action flat there is a marking:- G. M. PAT
S. 13


That may have been partly erased, does it mean anything to any of you?

Argo44 dates this in the 1880’s by serial number. As Westley Richards spent the first part of of the decade suing Greener alleging that the Facile Princeps was in breach of their Anson and Deeley patent I cannot imagine that they built it.

Greener seems more likely and could have had it proofed in London.

Unless it was a one-off prototype it would have required some tooling up so there may well be more around.

Has anyone else encountered this combination of features, whether on a Reilly or some other brand?

Happy New Year to All,

Parabola

Last edited by Parabola; 01/02/22 05:53 PM.
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1400 km trip though the Sahara and I'm pretty beat. But that is an interesting gun! It is pretty definitively 1889. EM was still alive. Could he have built the whole thing under license? Doubtful but one must ask. The review of the 1885 London Inventions exposition indicate it was possible. Both 16 and 277 workshops were still operational.

And I have to admit Parabola knows a lot more about this action than I ever will!

Last edited by Argo44; 01/02/22 07:05 PM.

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That early version of the Facile Princeps action is mentioned on page 174 of Graham Greener's book. He describes the FP action as using a hook on the barrel lump or a sliding rod. His description of a hook on the front barrel lump matches the photo you provided. I'm guessing it was built by Greener and merely retailed by Reilly. The action is certainly filed up like Greener work of the period. Greener did use bolted dolls head fasteners like yours, not just the more common crossbolt. The top lever? Who knows. Maybe just tweaking Westley Richards. The patent is listed as 930 of 1880.

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[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

Thank you gentlemen. Gene, I have to say that I did not know anything about this action until it arrived and inspired me to do a bit of research.

I have found the above illustration in “Practical Hints on Shooting, by 20-Bore” 1887.

It shows the same action, but with bites for the bolt in both lumps. I do not know if any were made like that or whether when they went from paper to metal they found there was not enough room for the forward bite.

There is a similar illustration in Stonehenge (J. H. Walsh) the Modern Sportsman’s Gun and Rifle, 1882.

Last edited by Parabola; 01/03/22 01:18 PM.
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In Diggory Hadoke’s online Vintage Gun Journal I have read an October 2021 article about a F.T. Baker gun built with Needham’s patent ejectors.

I was struck by the similarity of the shape of the top lever to the one on the above Reilly gun. Greener took over Needham in 1874 but seems to have run them in parallel for the rest of that century.

If Needhan built the Baker gun, might they be a possible source for this Reilly boxlock?

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Out of Africa with a 10 day break for omicron quarantine: I took another look at this interesting box-lock. Never seen another Reilly with that action. Whether Reilly made any box-lock actions or bought them from others (Birmingham) as was the case nearly universally with London gunmakers cannot be determined.

However, the gun is serial numbered. According to the research from the Reilly line, that indicates Reilly built the gun, whether or not he used outsourced actions/parts. Will continue to look through the 600 Reilly's I have photographs of to try to learn more but again it's unique so far. Very interesting.


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Lot 1597 in the forthcoming Holts sale is another box lock with an interesting combination of features.

It is a 1930’s 10-bore by T. Bland and sons. It has an Anson and Deeley action, Westley Richards top lever with bolted dolls head and a Greener side safety.

Re-proofed in 2022, presumably one the auctioneers considered too nice to be offered as a stock and action.

Last edited by Parabola; 03/04/22 07:44 AM.
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Looks pretty rough to me....

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I have not examined it myself, but suspect that the green paint makes it look worse than it really is.

He seems to have been a serious Wildfowler.

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Interesting conversations. In the same vein, take a look at this Cogswell-Westley Richards-Greener combo which sold a few days ago.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/924235003

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