I will continue to look into this LeF...and you know a lot about British guns. But among the facts that cannot be explained away is the 1881 census. Reilly employed 300 people. Holland and Holland 25, Purdey 12? I'll come up with real numbers for the latter two. Reilly built 1000 Serial Numbered guns a year at this time period, twice the number of Purdey and H&H combined. So if those 300 people weren't making guns, what were they doing?

Also, Reilly is recognized as one of the three pioneers in UK championing breech loaders after 1851 - Lang, Blanch, Reilly. I can give you the cites. 1860 book has pages devoted to Reilly's breech loader (p. 12 above). His breech loaders participated in the 1859 trials squaring off against the best muzzle loaders as posted in this line (p. 13). Why all of a sudden about the late 1860's couldn't he make breech loaders anymore? The logic doesn't make sense.

You maintain Reilly had no gun-making machinery yet he made muzzle-loaders. I've a picture of a Reilly muzzle loader with 277 Oxford Street on the rib....post November 1881. So how could he make muzzle loaders without machinery? And those two huge buildings with four floors 25,000 sq ft of space (estimated on each one)....What was going on in all that space? He said he made guns there and invited clients to view the progress of their gun.

I'm not trying to be querulous; but the evidence is overwhelming and the people who bought his guns and used them were some very prominent hunters and writers. Again I'll ask for one article from the 19th century to be posted identifying him only as a retailer. I don't think you'll find one. So when did this myth start? I suspect after Riggs bought the company August 1922.

Lets see what the knowledgeable gun people in UK have to say about the subject after Diggory publishes the article....it's being published in two parts. Possibly three..I've told him the primary purpose of this line originally was to date Reilly SN's...that I think has been done successfully..so he may publish the SN dating chart as an addendum.

Posted before - but EM was a businessman and made what sold. Once you have a template...not too hard to build the gun.
......17 Aug 1862 "Bell's Life" - review of guns at the 1862 London World's Fair

Last edited by Argo44; 07/27/19 09:15 PM.
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