Shotgun or dangerous game gun? I lean towards shotgun just as Jim Kelly, the gunsmith who worked on the gun, concluded. The 36" barrels seem to tilt towards that conclusion. The Reilly dangerous game guns both rifle and percussion smooth bore seem to have the 26" or shorter barrels. (I will add that normally a Reilly gun with a pistol grip was originally a rifle. There are very few exceptions to this conclusion after looking at 600 Reilly's - and all of he exceptions are 8 bore or larger wild-fowlers).

EDIT: I have just gone over photos of 600 existing Reilly's from 1829 to 1912 and looked at all of the guns 10 bore or larger. In reviewing the photos, there is not a single certain instance of a Reilly shotgun of any bore using a pistol grip or a trigger guard extension which aped a pistol grip. There are about 6 large bore Reilly shotguns with pistol grips...I suspect all of them to have been originally rifles.

Here are the extant Reilly 4 bores and 6 bores in my database (in addition to George L's gun); Invaluable Auctions will simply not let me ask a question - a pity:

SN 18860 - 1874
http://jamesdjulia.com/item/1363-396/
4 bore, U-L hammer gun, wild-fowler shotgun. 42"? barrels. 18 lbs 12 oz (Note the Safety)
[Linked Image from jpgbox.com]

SN 15964 - 1869
https://www.gunsinternational.com/g...m-quality-condition.cfm?gun_id=101245285
4 bore, Back-Action U-L hammer-gun, express rifle; 26" barrels, 18 lbs 10 oz.
[Linked Image from jpgbox.com]

SN 4573 - 1842? (JC - Outlier SN)
https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/76/400/engraved-jc-reilly-percussion-sporting-gun
6 bore percussion dangerous game gun (Owned by Terry Buffum)
[Linked Image from jpgbox.com]

SN 84xx - 1847
http://www.simpsonltd.com/product_info.php?products_id=42593
6 bore, percussion smooth-bore with 26" barrels.
[Linked Image from jpgbox.com]

SN 8578 - 1848
https://auctions.holtsauctioneers.c...320++++509+&refno=148046&image=0
6 bore percussion single-barrel wild fowler, 42" barrels
[Linked Image from jpgbox.com]

SN 7802 - 1853 - JC "7000" number series
http://промкаталог.рф/PublicDocuments/0523722.pdf
6 bore percussion wild-fowler - 42" barrels
[Linked Image from jpgbox.com]

SN 10315 - 1857
https://www.proxibid.com/aspr/REILLY-LONDON/22392022/LotDetail.asp?lid=22392022
Percussion single barrel 6 bore wild fowler - 38" barrel
[Linked Image from jpgbox.com]

SN 11937 - 1861
https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/14918/lot/52/
4 bore, center break U-L, hammer-gun (converted pin-fire) wild-fowler, 39" barrels; 15 lbs, 2 oz
[Linked Image from jpgbox.com]

Dave getting kicked and back-blasted by an 8 bore Reilly Rifle (note pistol grip - 26" barrel). (Note: Eyes closed? Hair flying. Is that pain? )
[Linked Image from jpgbox.com]

Last edited by Argo44; 03/30/21 04:00 PM.
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