English Side by Side

[DuncaninFrance]

I just 'won' an auction for an English Side by Side 16 g shotgun. Put in a silly bid and won it
It is marked as Birmingham gun marked Charles Osborne & Co Looks OK from the pics supplied by the seller and it comes with a 3 months guarantee so it should be OK.
It has a 65 mm chamber so I might need to look at some reloads,.................

[DuncaninFrance]

Looks like I may have landed a bargain for 51€

[Niner]

Looks like a bargain price. Also looks like a pretty old gun. Found this site. Read down a few posts and a guy, Derek, gives his version of the company history.

http://doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthre ... mber=12669

[DuncaninFrance]

A few more images from the seller and a copy of the page from Graces Guide where I found the information..................

[Niner Delta]

Very nice looking old shotgun. When I first looked at Duncan's original post, the word Birmingham
stuck in my head and I thought what a cool post-Civil War shotgun made in Alabama...........
And then it dawned on me...... English Side by Side.....duh.
Guess I need to read slower and not jump right to the photos........
Nice find Duncan, good price too....

.

[DuncaninFrance]

Birmingham was a gun making centre as early as the 17th C.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_Quarter

BSA was probably the largest.
I once had a shotgun 'fitted' at Westley Richards, that was an experience

This shotgun is at least 90 years old so I have bought some mild loaded shells to try.

[DuncaninFrance]

It arrived this morning and looks to be in good shape except for the bores which may need sleeving.
Nitro Proofed and well marked. It is proofed to the 1925 rule at Birmingham. This confirms that it is one of the last guns made by the company as they ceased making guns altogether in 1928.

The latest Rules of Proof, those of 2006, were approved by the Secretary of State to come into force on the 1st August, 2006, but proof under earlier Rules of 1875, 1887, 1896, 1904, 1916, 1925, 1954, 1986 and 1989 remains valid provided that the barrel or action has not been materially weakened or altered so that it no longer conforms with the proof marks.

[DuncaninFrance]

Had the chance to put the endoscope down the barrels this afternoon. It looks as though the gun was check fired before they sent it and was not cleaned.
Need to find some bits in my cleaning box to give it a proper thrutching!

[blackisler]

That look in very good condition for its year ….. also glad to hear the bore is also good
Robert

[Niner Delta]

Looks like photos of my last colonoscopy...........

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[Aughnanure]

Looks like photos of my last colonoscopy...........

.

You have my sympathy

[Niner]

At least no polyps in there.

[DuncaninFrance]

Checked over by my friendly local gunsmith today and we are good to go.
Bought some 16g 28 gm No.9 shot for it.