GUN FALL 2016
The live portion of this session begins on Tuesday, October 4, 2016.
HIGH ORIGINAL CONDITION CHURCHILL "PREMIERE" SIDELOCK EJECTOR HEAVY GAME GUN WITH LONG (FOR CHURCHILL) BARRELS AND CASE. CHURCHILL SXS PREMIERE 23936 12 GA MODERN (ca 1981) Cal. 12 ga. 28" Chopper lump bbls fitted with slightly raised Churchill rib, are engraved "Churchill (Gunmakers) Ltd." and "61 Pall Mall, St. James's, London, England." on tops. There are 1" triangles of well cut scroll at breech ends. Bbl flats are stamped with 1979 London nitro proofs. Bottoms of bbls are engraved with SN, and importers name and address (A&F Houston, Texas) are on splinter. (This is one of 8 "Premiere" guns in the Dallas auction of the residual Churchill stock.) Case hardened sidelock action features automatic safety (SAFE inlaid in gold), bushed strikers, gold band tumbler end cocking indicators, and dbl triggers. Action and lockplates are engraved with full coverage well cut small scroll within similar scroll borders. "CHURCHILL" is in scroll terminated riband on the front of each lockplate. "PREMIERE" "Finest Quality" and "MODEL" are on bottom of action. Blued trigger guard with small beads on sides of bow, has matching scroll, and SN on tang. Very finely marbled and lightly figured European walnut straight grip buttstock measures 14-5/8" over checkered wood butt, and features typical drop points, point pattern checkering, and gold oval. Matching splinter ejector forend has Anson release. Bore diameter: left -.727, right - .727. Bore restrictions: left - .018 (mod), right - .012 (lt mod). Drop at heel: 1-15/16", drop at comb: 1-1/2". Cast: approx 1/4" off. Weight: 6 lbs. 5 oz. LOP: 14-5/8". Makers leather VC case with stitched leather corners is lined in burgundy cloth, and has silver embossed Churchill label in lid. Case contains copies of story in Aug 1981 "American Rifleman" regarding auction, auction listing for this gun (lot 54, which sold for $14500.00), as well as a copy of a sample certificate of authentication. PROVENANCE: Remarkable William Larkin Moore Private Estate Collection of Fine Sporting Arms. CONDITION: Excellent, with evidence of limited field use. Bbls retain over 95% blue, most loss due to some rubs on side of left bbl, as well as some light scratches. Action is silvered slightly on beads and fences. Top lever has a hint of silvering. Trigger guard retains nearly all of its blue. There are a few small dings in wood, mostly on left side of buttstock, checkering somewhat darkened. Action is tight. Bbls are on face. Ejectors are strong and in time. Case is excellent, with a few marks. Interior shows some rubs. 50594-97 mgm86 (15,000-25,000)