doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Mears Brothers sidelock

I just picked up a Mears Brothers SxS sidelock with a side lever.

According to the trade label in what appears to be the original case and cleaning rod:

Mears Brothers
Makers of Fine Side Lever Breech Loading Guns
Est. 1886 at No. 4 Tachbrook Street
Pimlico, SW

British Gunmakers has the above, but spelled Tachbrooke and 1886-1892, There is also a "The Care of Guns" label by John Dickson and Son label attached to the interior lower right corner of the case.

Would anyone have more information? Thanks in advance

A search under Mears in this forum led to an entry about Thomas Boss which includes:-

Edward Paddison's brother, James Joseph (b.1842 in Louth) joined the firm as an apprentice. Other relatives later employed by Thomas were George Fatt (cousin), William Mears (husband of Ann Paddison), William John Mears and Joseph Chapman Mears (both sons of William).

William John Mears and Joseph Chapman Mears seem likely to be the brothers of Mears Brothers, and presumably branched out from Boss to set up on their own.

Can we see a picture?

Shot it today with one of my few remaining boxes of low pressure Polywads. Shot good when I did what I was supposed to do.

Oddly enough no markings on the flats of the barrel and only proof marks on the water table

https://imgbox.com/jeHNnoR6
https://imgbox.com/keArOh0g

That is an uncommon pattern for British guns. It's a Hufnagel called "Rosen" and has a distinct weld line down the middle of each scroll. The rod-rod welds are wavy and the ribband end welds are straight. I think it is 3 iron but would need a high resolution close up of the pattern to say for sure.



This is a Remington 'Oxford 4 S.J.'

Try this picture

https://imgbox.com/HpMgMJs2

Close enough, but the camera focused on the towel surface and not the (blurry) barrel
Try a solid dark grey background and raise the barrel about 6 inches above the background.

According to Dallas’s book on Boss W.J. Mears was a gun stocker and signed the stocks he made at Boss with his initials under the trigger guard tang.

It may be worth checking yours there, if there is a W.J.M. that would be pretty conclusive that these are the same Mears Brothers.



The lock plate on yours looks very similar to a Gibbs and Pitt patent gun. Does it cock by pressure on the side lever (if so probably Gibbs and Pitt patent) or by the fall of the barrels?

3rd attempt at a good barrel photo

https://imgbox.com/TakQC1a3

Nothing on the stock itself. There is a J with almost a half circle on the inside of the trigger guard tang where it meets the wood.

The barrels cock on opening when I lower the barrels and I hear two clicks

Thanks!

It's 4 Iron - 3 'zipper' welds between 2 straight ribband edge welds