(C) NICELY REFURBISHED PAIR OF E.J. CHURCHILL PINLESS "PREMIER" XXV SIDELOCK EJECTOR SINGLE TRIGGER SHOTGUNS WITH ORIGINAL CASE.

This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 5/12/2026

(1924) The "Premiere" sidelock was Churchill's highest grade, many were built with pinless sidelocks allowing for an uninterrupted flow of engraving. Screws that hold bridle and all pivots except the tumblers are housed in bosses, machined into the back of the lockplate or into extra thick lockplates, and did not protrude and could not be seen from the outside. This pair of pinless guns has 25" barrels with matted, concave ribs. Rear portions of ribs are gold inlaid "XXV" and with either "1" or "2" matching gold numbers on top levers and forend tips denoting a matched pair. There are 1 - 1/4" triangles of well cut scroll at breech ends. Tops of barrels are engraved "E. J. Churchill. (Gunmakers) Ltd." and "8 Agar St Strand. London. W. C. 2". Barrel flats are stamped with London nitro proofs for 2 - 1/2" chambers; subsequently lengthened to 2 - 3/4". Case hardened sidelock actions feature non-automatic safeties, gold line tumbler end cocking indicators, and single selective triggers, selected by safety button similar to a Miller. Actions and lockplates are engraved with full coverage exceptionally well cut varying sized shaded scroll. "E. J. Churchill" is in scroll terminated riband at the front of each lockplate. Bottoms of actions are gold inlaid and engraved "Premier" "Finest XXV Quality" "Model". Blued top levers and single beaded trigger guards have matching scroll. Serial numbers are on tangs. Best quality newly made well matched nicely marbled and figured European walnut round knob pistol grip buttstocks measure 14 - 3/4" over Silver type pads and feature classic drop points, point pattern checkering at grips, and vacant silver ovals on bottoms. Matching splinter ejector forends have Anson releases. CONDITION: Very fine, as refurbished. Barrels retain essentially all of a "best" London quality re-black. Actions retain a considerable amount of their original case hardening color, perhaps as much as 60%, percentage difficult to ascertain due to extensive engraving. Lockplates have perhaps 70-80%. Newly made stocks retain essentially all of their original finish with some light scratches, mostly on gun "2". Bores are excellent. Actions are tight. Ejectors are strong and in time. Triggers work well.

Name

Value

Barrel Length

(BOTH) 25"

Barrel Wall Thickness

(A) (L) .024 (R) .026 (B) (BOTH) .026

Chamber

(BOTH) 2 - 3/4"

Choke

(A) (L) .024 (R) .009 (B) (L) .007 (R) .000

Drop at Comb

(BOTH) 1 - 7/16"