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A Note from Donald Dallas

I'd like to share this because it's interesting and relevant. Gunsmith Abe Chaber in Connecticut, recommended by David Trevallion, offered that all English shotguns from the 1880's were originally chambered for 2 1/2" shells and if there are longer chambers (there are several Reilly's with 2 3/4" chambers), they had been reproofed.

I asked Mark Crudgington and Toby Barclay this question and Toby recommended I query Donald Dallas. Here is the email I sent to Mr. Dallas:

Mr. Dallas. A number of people have recommended I contact you - David Trevallion up in Maine, formerly with Purdey; Mark Crudgington in UK; Vic Venters in North Carolina, Toby Barclay in UK, etc.

First I'd like to send you three documents on Reilly which I've compiled over 5 years, 3,000 hours of research:
-- a "New History of Reilly of London" - published in August, September 2019 in two parts by Diggory Haddoke, but continuously updated since then.
-- A Chart of Serial Number extant Reilly's - by date.
-- A Chart dating Reilly trade-labels.

These posts on Reilly have become somewhat controversial because they go against the grain of what this generation has been taught about Reilly. They negate much of Boothyroyd, Brown Vol 1 and 3, and everything written about Reilly in the last 50 years, etc. I'd be curious about your reaction to this research.

The second question is more simple and direct. I have been told that UK shotguns were not chambered in anything longer than 2 1/2" until the 1890's. I challenged similar statements on Saint-Etienne French guns and found pre-1890 chamber lengths up on 90mm. So I question this statement. Toby Barclay said that with punt-guns, pigeon guns, etc., someone must have been making longer black-powder cartridges in UK - but that I should ask you. Could I ask for your opinion?

Gene Williams
McLean, Virginia


And here is his very considerate response:

Dear Gene,

Many thanks indeed for sending me your vast amount of research that you have undertaken on Reilly. I had never read the articles in Diggory's journal so it was all brand new to me. I must congratulate you on your lengthy and so well researched history of Reilly. I well know the considerable amount of hours that go into a piece of proper research like this.

It is so heartening that you have elevated the name Reilly where it belongs. I found it absolutely fascinating and had no idea that Reilly was such a big manufacturer. Like others I assumed, erroneously, as you explain that he was a retailer. I will now completely revise my opinion of Reilly. I was a student at the London School of Economics in the early 1970s and used to pass along New Oxford Street every morning and I always used yo think of Reilly.

Having undertaken so much research have you ever thought about doing a book on Reilly? I would reckon you would sell about 500 copies. It doesnt sound much but it is a very limited market. I think most gun historians would find such a book very interesting. There are two publishers, Quiller Publishing (who publish all my books,) do a superb job but are very expensive. There is another self-publishing British company that I have used that are far cheaper, Book Printing.co.uk. You certainly have enough material for a book.

Many thanks once again for allowing me the privilege of reading all your research.
As regards your query about 2 1/2" guns I have never seen cartridges longer than this made in the 19th century.

regards,
Donald Dallas


First Cyril Adams offered unsolicited praise for the history and serial number date chart and now Mr. Donald Dallas, a legendary researcher and double-gun historian. I must say that there is a certain inner-peace satisfaction in this after some of the harsh words in the argumentation. We are making progress towards a new consensus. And it's all thanks to this site which allowed the research to be posted and debated.

Last edited by Argo44; 02/07/21 08:55 PM.
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