How About A Nice English Hammergun

[Mongo44]

Here are a few of the AYA Matador.

 

[LennyM]

Classic firearm. Thank you.

 

[Mongo44]

Classic firearm. Thank you.

Cheers!

 

[kirkbridgershooters]

Kirk ~ Beautiful Colts! I can now say with certainty that "Lightning" often strikes multiple times in the same place!

I forgot to ask what kind of cartridges you use in the Colt double with the Damascus barrels. I would think today's more powerful loads might compromise the steel.

I shoot smokeless loads in it. I don't shoot anything high powered, just target loads and some 2 1/2 inch shells that I also shoot in the George Daw gun. Good English damascus barrels are plenty strong enough to handle a smokeless load as long as the damascus isn't pitted. The Belgian trade guns that were popular around the early 20th Century aren't a good bet to shoot with any load for that matter, but there is a huge difference in English barrels and other makes, even most American made damascus...

 

[kirkbridgershooters]

I have several combinations That allow me to shoot all Colt firearms at a cowboy action match...

 

[Mongo44]

Uhhh, Kirk... How many points did they dock you for wearin' the Bean boots?

 

[LennyM]

Man, those are some beautiful pups!! I have always had Labs, but had a Springer a long time ago, as well. Wonderful companions! Love the photos!

I'm going to pull the AYA and snap some shots for ya. What's that sxs in the photo?

Finally got my Labrador a nice expanse of water. I took him for some dummy training today and he
was superb. No hesitation - straight into the water. Our area is in the worst drought in living memory
so being allowed access to this water is a real bonus.

 

[Mongo44]

Here are some of the AYA (Spanish) and my Ferlib (Italian). These are great shooters...

First, the AYA. It's amazing what the camera picks up. This shotgun looks absolutely pristine to the naked eye, but the camera sees some "inclusions" here and there...

 

[Mongo44]

Here are some of the Ferlib. Wow, do I love this gun!! She's a stunner.

 

[kirkbridgershooters]

I just got this P Webley this week. Nothing like a Hammergun to be svelte. The engraving on English guns is so good, the European guns look a bit crude in comparison. Took it out rabbit hunting today, but the conditions are to bad to find any rabbits.

This is a 12 bore 2 1/2 inch Damascus made by Webley of London, with Stanton side locks. It is first quality from around 1889...

 

[blackjack]

Happy New Year Kirk,

I have owned English Hammer Guns with Damascus barrels in both black powder proof & nitro proof. It is very hard to find hammer guns in different bores than 12 bore here in the UK. A friend of mine has a Charles Boswell 16 bore hammer gun with 30 inch barrels made in 1895. I have tried to prise that gun out of him for 30 odd years, but he will not budge! We do get high end single barrel hammer guns over here, but they are always so so expensive. Your Phillip Webley would of been made in Birmingham, and would of had their London retail address engraved on It. London addresses always command higher prices! Also if the guns have London proof marks they are more sort after. It is only an English " SNOB " value thing over here. The London proof house is around 200 years older than the Birmingham proof house.

Best Wishes

Blackjack

 

[kirkbridgershooters]

This is a London Gun...

 

[blackjack]

Hello Kirk,

Phillip Webley guns were all made in Birmingham. Some of these guns were retailed in London, as P. Webley had a shop in London. Your gun might of been proofed in London, but more than likely your gun was proofed in Birmingham. I have a P. Webley 16 bore box - lock ejector with the same London address as your P. Webley hammer gun. P. Webley made guns in the " White " for many Companies in Gt. Britain. These guns in the " White " were made as double rifles, box - lock shotguns, side - lock shotguns and hammer - guns. These guns were always high quality and made to a very high standard. Check out your proof marks Kirk, and let me know.

Blackjack

 

[kirkbridgershooters]

I am out of town right now but it does have W C Scott proof marks. It is black powder proofed and has other markings. I will get more information when I get back. The book on this Shotgun said that the London address on the barrel did make this the first quality gun. As I mentioned earlier, it also has Stanton side locks...

 

[kirkbridgershooters]

Happy New Year Kirk,

I have owned English Hammer Guns with Damascus barrels in both black powder proof & nitro proof. It is very hard to find hammer guns in different bores than 12 bore here in the UK. A friend of mine has a Charles Boswell 16 bore hammer gun with 30 inch barrels made in 1895. I have tried to prise that gun out of him for 30 odd years, but he will not budge! We do get high end single barrel hammer guns over here, but they are always so so expensive. Your Phillip Webley would of been made in Birmingham, and would of had their London retail address engraved on It. London addresses always command higher prices! Also if the guns have London proof marks they are more sort after. It is only an English " SNOB " value thing over here. The London proof house is around 200 years older than the Birmingham proof house.

Best Wishes

Blackjack

Here is some data and the proof marks on the Webley...

 

[blackjack]

Hello Kirk,
The photo's are very good. The Webley & Scott or W & S Winged Bullet is not a proof mark. The V stamped on the Water Table is a London proof mark meaning VIEW in other words viewed after firing by the Proof Master. The P with crown is a London Proof Mark meaning PROOF.

W.W. Greener the Birmingham Gun & Rifle Maker always stamped his guns & rifles with an elephant. The W & S Winged Bullet was Webley & Scott's symbol and they always stamped their guns & rifles with that symbol, but this was not a proof mark. 13 means that the gun's bore measurments were .710 at time of proof. Some times the gun & rifle makers would stamp the gun with 13/1. A really lovely hammer gun, thanks for sharing.

Blackjack