Vintage British Doubles

[CJNJ]

Just started what may be a new fascination for me: vintage British double shotguns. Have incoming a 1913 Charles Hellis and Sons 12 gauge box lock with engraved side plates. Have read a little about this gunmaker who had a London shop and apparently outsourced his barrels at least from Birmingham. I know this gun is not a London "Best" but to me it is attractive and fascinating. Will soon see how it shoots. Maybe next up will be a Westley Richards, George Gibbs or Jeffrey? I'm sure others here collect vintage British guns. Would love to hear your stories.

 

[Altitude sickness]

My Hellis and sons. It’s a 3rd tier maker that made top tier quality guns.

 

[CJNJ]

My Hellis and sons. It’s a 3rd tier maker that made top tier quality guns. View attachment 715060View attachment 715061View attachment 715059View attachment 715058

Beautiful!!

 

[CJNJ]

Just started what may be a new fascination for me: vintage British double shotguns. Have incoming a 1913 Charles Hellis and Sons 12 gauge box lock with engraved side plates. Have read a little about this gunmaker who had a London shop and apparently outsourced his barrels at least from Birmingham. I know this gun is not a London "Best" but to me it is attractive and fascinating. Will soon see how it shoots. Maybe next up will be a Westley Richards, George Gibbs or Jeffrey? I'm sure others here collect vintage British guns. Would love to hear your stories.

Don't know if this will work but tried to upload photos from the seller.

 

[Altitude sickness]

They are a great value. $3000-$5000 for a $60,000 quality if made today.

 

[Pondoro]

My Purdey game gun of 1896 vintage..

 

[Altitude sickness]

Sold. I’ll take it

 

[Russ16]

Hellis made some great guns.

A great many gunmakers sourced actions and barrels from Scott and either stocked them in house or had them stocked and finished to their specifications by one of the many independent individuals in Birmingham.

The best advice I was ever given regarding British shotguns is evaluate every gun for itself. Even some lesser known makers sometimes made absolutely first tier guns, and even the best makers let a few slip out the door that they wouldn’t be proud of.

 

[Pondoro]

Joseph Lang also made very fine sidelocked shotguns..

 

[CJNJ]

My Purdey game gun of 1896 vintage..

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That's gorgeous

 

[Kynoch2015]

Congrats! One will never be enough. RST offers some great shell, especially if your gun still has short chambers. https://www.rstshells.com/ Enjoy!

 

[PCC600]

Just started what may be a new fascination for me: vintage British double shotguns. Have incoming a 1913 Charles Hellis and Sons 12 gauge box lock with engraved side plates. Have read a little about this gunmaker who had a London shop and apparently outsourced his barrels at least from Birmingham. I know this gun is not a London "Best" but to me it is attractive and fascinating. Will soon see how it shoots. Maybe next up will be a Westley Richards, George Gibbs or Jeffrey? I'm sure others here collect vintage British guns. Would love to hear your stories.

Almost certainly it will have a Scott screw grip action . There were some fantastic guns “made” by other London and provincial gun makers . Sounds like you have a wonderful example .

 

[PCC600]

Hellis made some great guns.

A great many gunmakers sourced actions and barrels from Scott and either stocked them in house or had them stocked and finished to their specifications by one of the many independent individuals in Birmingham.

The best advice I was ever given regarding British shotguns is evaluate every gun for itself. Even some lesser known makers sometimes made absolutely first tier guns, and even the best makers let a few slip out the door that they wouldn’t be proud of.

Great advice .

 

[Red Leg]

I think they are some of the finest and most elegant examples of form following function ever created. Three of my favorites that are fairly rare.

Stephen Grant & Sons side lever side lock. It really is a better and more natural mouse trap but never really caught on with most shooters. This one is a 12 bore 2.5" game gun that has taken a lot of pheasants over the last 25 years. Standard with 29" barrels and made until 1914, they were considered "best" guns.

And another from the same era that is more properly "British" rather than English. It is a James MacNaughton from the same period as the Grant. Also a 2.5" 12, it too is a game gun built on the elegant MacNaughton pinless round action boxlock. It was usually in hand when the Grant was not over the last couple of decades. Unfortunately, like German Lindners, these guns have developed a bit of a cult like following among collectors.

And finally a money gun. This is a 32" 2.75" 1 1/4 ounce proofed William Cashmore "Nitro" pigeon gun also from the turn of the last century. I acquired it shortly after becoming addicted to box bird shooting in the early 2000's. With extremely long forcing cones and chokes, it hits like Thor's hammer dropping birds before they can leave the ring. It is functionally practically as new, but she needed a little TLC which was accomplished by Doug Turnbull. It has won a lot of races. Note the unusual reinforcing exterior locks.

 

[Kynoch2015]

I think they are some of the finest and most elegant examples of form following function ever created. Three of my favorites that are fairly rare.

Stephen Grant & Sons side lever side lock. It really is a better and more natural mouse trap but never really caught on with most shooters. This one is a 12 bore 2.5" game gun that has taken a lot of pheasants over the last 25 years. Standard with 29" barrels and made until 1914, they were considered "best" guns.View attachment 715170

And another from the same era that is more properly "British" rather than English. It is a James MacNaughton from the same period as the Grant. Also a 2.5" 12, it too is a game gun built on the elegant MacNaughton pinless round action boxlock. It was usually in hand when the Grant was not over the last couple of decades. Unfortunately, like German Lindners, these guns have developed a bit of a cult like following among collectors.
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And finally a money gun. This is a 32" 2.75" 1 1/4 ounce proofed William Cashmore "Nitro" pigeon gun also from the turn of the last century. I acquired it shortly after becoming addicted to box bird shooting in the early 2000's. With extremely long forcing cones and chokes, it hits like Thor's hammer dropping birds before they can leave the ring. It is functionally practically as new, but she needed a little TLC which was accomplished by Doug Turnbull. It has won a lot of races. Note the unusual reinforcing exterior locks.
View attachment 715198
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[CJNJ]

I think they are some of the finest and most elegant examples of form following function ever created. Three of my favorites that are fairly rare.

Stephen Grant & Sons side lever side lock. It really is a better and more natural mouse trap but never really caught on with most shooters. This one is a 12 bore 2.5" game gun that has taken a lot of pheasants over the last 25 years. Standard with 29" barrels and made until 1914, they were considered "best" guns.View attachment 715170

And another from the same era that is more properly "British" rather than English. It is a James MacNaughton from the same period as the Grant. Also a 2.5" 12, it too is a game gun built on the elegant MacNaughton pinless round action boxlock. It was usually in hand when the Grant was not over the last couple of decades. Unfortunately, like German Lindners, these guns have developed a bit of a cult like following among collectors.
View attachment 715171
View attachment 715172

And finally a money gun. This is a 32" 2.75" 1 1/4 ounce proofed William Cashmore "Nitro" pigeon gun also from the turn of the last century. I acquired it shortly after becoming addicted to box bird shooting in the early 2000's. With extremely long forcing cones and chokes, it hits like Thor's hammer dropping birds before they can leave the ring. It is functionally practically as new, but she needed a little TLC which was accomplished by Doug Turnbull. It has won a lot of races. Note the unusual reinforcing exterior locks.
View attachment 715198
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Elegant is an understatement for your shotguns. This is the kind of response I was going for when I started the thread and the kind of response which is going to lead me to buy more British shotguns!

 

[Kynoch2015]

Lovely guns all! Especially the MacNaughton.

 

[Kynoch2015]

If you like them on the bigger side, here are a couple of 8s, both nitro proofed. Bland on top and SW Silver ball gun on the bottom.

 

[Altitude sickness]

I think the Grant and MacNaughton are still considered Best firearms

 

[Wyfox]

Army Navy CSL

WJ Jeffery