A gentleman in Australia has just forwarded information on this magnificent 1850's short-forend sporterized .577 Reilly Enfield rifle converted to a Snider (the contact made courtesy of Diggory). The gun is SN 10377 and was made in summer 1857 shortly before JC Reilly retired and before the opening of 315 Oxford Street. It has the percussion patch box with game engraving, shortened forend, engraving and Damascus barrel of a classic high-end Reilly sporting Enfield of that time. The engraving for that era is particularly well done.

But this one is special. It had both a stalking safety and a match set trigger. And the locks were made by Joseph Brazier. This was clearly a very high-grade Reilly from 1857. (This is now the first identified Reilly using Brazier locks or actions).

It was transformed by Reilly after 1868 into a Snider, making it the second oldest Reilly so far found (10021 being the oldest). The address on the receiver, "EM Reilly & Co., 315 Oxford Street, London & rue Scribe, Paris" (post Feb 1868), was added after the gun was converted (a couple of other similar examples exist). However, on the side plates the name is just "Reilly, London " - classic mid 1850's.

Per the Reilly history Reilly developed a "short stock" for the Enfield which allowed it to be carried in a "normal" sized case. Most extant Reilly Enfields from the mid 1850's with the short sporterized stock, had straight stocks with a trigger guard which aped a pistol grip stock. This rifle has a pistol grip stock. This is so unusual for the 1850's that one speculates it was restocked when converted.

After 1866 Arsenal transformed hundreds of thousands of Enfields into Sniders for the Army using these "screw-in" actions. They only modified Enfields made 1859 or later. When they ran out of guns to convert they began making new ones with steel barrels (See the Reilly history chapter 51.)

The sporting gun world obviously was another story and 10377 with its exquisite barrels (assume they are Damascus - no good photos) and engravings was deemed worth changing by its owner. Reilly advertised his ability to do this work after 1866 (see the Reilly History, chap. 51).

The owner has not checked the proofs - he doesn't want to damage the screw threads - but no doubt they will be London proof marks. Note the "Snider's Patent" Arrow proof on the top of the action - endorsement or maybe patent paid to Arsenal for the Snider action (added to the original Brazier lock).

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]
[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]
[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

Last edited by Argo44; 12/12/23 10:25 PM.
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