Gene,
Going up from 18 to 12 would be a large jump, and would presumably involve re-chambering from a 16 bore case to 12.
It is far more likely that we are misreading a poorly applied 13 bore stamp, a common bore size then for guns built for the 12 bore cartridge.
A clean up of the .719 (+?) 13 bore tube prior to re-proof could easily take it up to .729 for 12 bore.
If you consider the orientation of the numbers within the “square” is simply the standard 12-bore chamber stamp rotated 45 degrees to fit the space avail.
This gun has been built with the external lines and presumably the weight of a 12 bore shot gun.
The 2 3/4 Express example in the New Zealand catalogue is built like a double rifle with pistol hand stock, sling eyes, Jones under lever and Express sights.
Last edited by Parabola; 11/06/22 09:13 AM.
