GUN FALL 2016
The live portion of this session begins on Tuesday, October 4, 2016.
EXCEPTIONALLY RARE CHARLES LANCASTER FOUR BARREL "HAMMERLESS" OVAL BORE EXPRESS RIFLE WITH CASE AND ACCESSORIES.LANCASTER4 BBL5174500 BPE 3Cal. 500 BPE 3". Charles Lancaster and his sons have long had a reputation for thinking outside of the box. From his start as a noted bbl forger, making the finest bbls for the finest guns in London in the 1820's and '30's, Lancaster came up with many innovations including his oval bore "non-fouling" rifling used in many percussion rifles continuing up through the breechloading era until WWI. As gunmakers he and his son, C. W. Lancaster, made a number of multi-bbl percussion rifles. With the beginning of the breechloading era, this multi-bbl concept continued with the making of hundreds of 4-barreled pistols and at least a handful of 4-barreled shotguns, as well as a few rifles, using the rotating firing pin principle. This surprisingly well balanced 4 barrel rifle has 28" bbl group, top two bbls fitted with dolls head extension, one standing leaf express rear sight dovetailed through small island base, and a silver bead front sight in another small base. Tops of these are engraved "Charles Lancaster 151 New Bond Street, London." and "Patent Four Barrel Breech Loading Hammerless Smooth Bore Rifle". Bottoms of bottom bbls are stamped with SNs and "CL". All bbls are stamped with London black powder proofs and "38". Regulating all four bbls must have been a bit of a chore. Muzzles show four regulating wedges and large central steel block. Case hardened, round bodied action with Jones underlever screw grip bolt and top tang pivoting safety bolt has one large trigger to cock and rotate firing mechanism with smaller checkered blade trigger for firing. Action is engraved with line and geometric borders, and with "Charles Lancaster's Patent London" on each side. SN is on large trigger guard bow. Broadly streaked European walnut straight grip buttstock measures 14-3/4" over checkered steel buttplate, and features right hand cheekpiece and broadly spaced flat top checkering with line borders at grip. Matching splinter forend with fancy steel tip has roller spring snap release. Drop at heel: approx 2-7/8", drop at comb: approx 1-5/8". Cast: approx 1/8" off. Weight: 10 lbs. 15 oz. LOP: 14-3/4". Old oak and leather case with brass corners and central medallion, is embossed "M. L. S. NORTHWOOD," "OYSTER BAY" "L.I." Interior is lined in dark green cloth, and has old Charles Lancaster paper label in lid. Case contains 2-pc brass cleaning rod with short handle marked "Greenfield", steel bullet crimper and sizer marked "No. 1" and "500", case neck reamer with ebony handle, old nipple wrench with ebony handle, two ebony handled powder measures, one for black and the other for Schultz powder, ebony handled bullet mold by Greenfield marked "500", large round tin Rangoon oil bottle, small round pewter oil bottle by Dixon, walnut handled bullet fixer marked "500", case expander with ebony handle, brass screw type capper/ decapper marked "500", hollow pointing pin for mold, and a brass Hawksley capper, in covered compartment. CONDITION: Excellent, as refinished. Bbls retain nearly all of a fine quality re-blue over numerous marks and some pitting, engraving somewhat softened. Action retains nearly all of a color re-hardening, engraving a bit soft. Stocks refinished with glossy oil over some marks with some light subsequent marks. Checkering re-cut. Bores are fine, lightly frosted. Action is tight. (Not sure if mechanism is working). Case leather is dark with numerous scrapes and rubs. Newly made straps and handle are fine. Renewed interior cloth is excellent, with some rubs. Label is somewhat foxed with some tears repaired. Accessories are generally good to fine. A really neat old rifle, you'd be the only kid on the block to have one of these. 50496-8 MGM215 (35,000-55,000)