I'd like to make a record of this: In the 11 Dec 2019 Gavin Gardner catalog,
Lot 144 - Parts to build a 4-bore double barrel Hammer gun. E.M. Reilly action, with underlever, fore-end, iron trigger plate, hammers, etc.

Here is what Gavin sent me about the action:
As you can see from the hi res image, it is just a kit of unfinished parts, in the white. It has come from someone in the trade who refers to it as the “Reilly” action and insisted that I refer to is as such…. but of course it impossible to prove that this unfinished action is originally from the Reilly works. There are no marks or identifying numbers I am afraid.



So, at least one person in the "Trade" believes Reilly made the action (or had bought it intending to finish it himself). Interesting. Has the action backstrap already been engraved? The same consigner has four or five other 4 bore actions in the auction, each one labeled with a gun maker's name....there is more to this story.

I am very curious about the age of the action. Obviously a center-fire hammer-gun with deep percussion fences....but other than that? Here are three Reilly big bore percussion fences - nothing like the one in the parts bin above (percussion fences on guns that were originally pinfire face away from the center fire firing pins):

1) 15964 - 1869 4 bore (orig pinfire); . . . . . . . 2) 15565 - George L's 4 bore (orig pinfire) (1869); . . . . . . . . . . 3) 18860 - 4 bore (1874)



Is it my imagination or were there two halves to each hammer (meaning that they must have been welded together for the finished product). Double interesting. I could see a manufacturing efficiency reason for this. Or are there just extra hammers in the box?

The label in the plastic bag looks to be a reproduction (no scolloped corners) of the generic label with the Paris medals...Post February 1868. The small scroll items at the bottom of the label changed as the years passed (certainly after 1885) (and, though I don't have as many examples to definitively state this, "502" continued to be used until circa 1885 when it was changed to "16")....this one looks still to have "Enfield Rifles" on it (the reproduction labels do - if you're looking for a Reilly reproduction label for an 1880's-90's Reilly gun these would not be authentic).

Post Feb 1868 original label:

Last edited by Argo44; 12/05/19 12:37 AM.

Baluch are not Brahui, Brahui are Baluch