doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com George Gibbs 1890 20 bore sidelock

Found this lovely little 20 bore sidelock made by the Bristol maker George Gibbs. It�s lovely and beautifully made with superb engraving on the lock plates around the fences etc. The barrels are in stunning condition. To top it off it�s in a case that was made by the maker in 1935 and it also has two bills of sale from 1935 for the case and a second hand sidelock. Stunning�can�t wait to bring this to it�s former glory. The gun itself dates from around 1890.

It has a cocking design that cocks the hammers via the top lever, very clevery, not seen it before and it appears to have been patented by Gibbs himself.

More pictures here;

http://www.vintageshotgun.com/?p=1107&preview=true










Regards,
Tony

Tony: Fifteen Pounds Sterling in 1935. What a beautiful gun!

Best Regards, George

My thought as well: I expect it would cost more than that to get just the top lever engraved today! Congratulations on a marvelous find.
Jim

I know it's amazing isn't it �15. Well I paid quite a bit more!

Looks like one of the Gibbs & Pitt Patent actions, maybe a little earlier than 1890. Another part of gunmaking history.

Is there any relationship/common patents between guns with this same basic lock plate shape? Think Clabrough and at least one other had the same basic shape?

Mark

Seen quite a few of these over the years . I think it was in The British Shotgun vol 2 ,I read that these were made in considerable numbers for a variety of makers. The last one I saw was signed Cogswell and Harrison, but the stock was broken and the barrels bored way beyond usability[.012"wall]so it had to be scrapped.

Seen quite a few of these over the years . I think it was in The British Shotgun vol 2 ,I read that these were made in considerable numbers for a variety of makers. The last one I saw was signed Cogswell and Harrison, but the stock was broken and the barrels bored way beyond usability[.012"wall]so it had to be scrapped.

Oh man, what a find! I can't wait to see it after you work your magic on it.

Crudgington and Baker Vol. 2 suggests that your gun is patent 284
of 1873 and yours is the "second model",the most successful of the
lever cocking designs.If you can give us the serial number or close
we can probably nail the date of manufacture. Terry

Well, that's the thing, gunshop could't a serial. However, I've found a number well hidden on the end of the trigger guard. It's F302. Now the weird thing is that F wasn't a known prefix. It COULD be a B but definately looks like and F and the number is definately 302.

If you find anything that would be great!

Marc, thanks, I'm looking forward to this one

Mark Crudgington, the son of the Crudgington who was co-author with David Baker, owns the rights to George Gibbs. I don't know how good the records are. I have his e-mail address somewhere if you want it. Maybe that F302 is a patent use number. The first pattens for the Gibbs and Pitt were an ugly looking under lever cocking design; I have one with patent use number 37. The more commonly encountered, and better looking, is the sidelock type like yours. I have seen side lever cocking models but very strong thumbs are required to get the neccessary cocking leverage. That will be a nice little gun in 20 bore. Lagopus.....