doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com R. Grove hammer gun

Hard to beat free...I'd get a professional to do any work I had done on it. (forget your local gunsmith and lock up your welder)

lagopus...

The 12 magnum 3" "eclipsed" the 10 ga. here in the states but I didn't think the 3" 12 was that popular over there....In all my searching it's kind of a rarity to see a 3" magnum English 12 ga.

I'm finding it hard to believe that a 10 ga. is rarer than an 8 ga. in England...the prices that even the low quality 8's bring doesn't follow this line of thinking.

The stock chequering is not in the English style. Could of course be a restock by a North American gunsmith. The possibility dose exist that the gun was made up in the U.S.A. from imported components.
At the time when this gun was made there were out-workers in the English trade who made complete guns for their own benefit.These people would often choose the name of a deceased gun maker to apply to the guns they intended to sell.I have seen examples of breech loading guns bearing the name of maker that was long dead before the advent of the breech loader.

Robert Groves is listed in Nigel Brown's book "BRITISH GUNMAKERS" as being in Market Place, Richmond, Yorkshire 1840-42 (too early for your gun) There was a James Grove, Armsmaker, 19 (back of) Whittall Street, Birmingham c. 1905 - c.1920 and Joseph Groves, Lockmaker, Ct. 7 Walsall Street, Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, 1873-74 and William Groves, 31 Oliver Street, Birkenhead, Cheshire c. 1883. Several more that were much earlier.

Hope That This Helps....Best Regards....George

The number of 10G hammer guns that I have seen in the past in S.W.Ontario is surprising! I believe this results from the fact that they were the weapon of choice of serious duck hunters during the late 1800,s. At one time I had some spectacular 10.G Hammer Guns in my collection, including examples by,W.R.and H&H. But by far the most interesting, was a ball and shotgun made and exhibited by J.& W. Tolley,at the Philadelphia International Exhibition of 1876.This splendid gun was profusely engraved with North American scenes
These days Vintage IO.G. guns seldom show up in the Ontario market.

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Tanky did you ever get that inside photo ?

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Nothing special here Joe. Looks slighly better than an LC Smith field grade lock.

I thought it was a back locked action....I'm wondering if it's a Belgium made gun with Birmingham proofs.

That back action lock on a bar lock plate was a typical type for The Midland Gun Company of Birmingham. They mad a 10 called The Farmer's hammer gun, I think, which could be had in 12, 10, or 8. I will have to check if that is the model. They made a lot for the trade and various unusual names can be found on guns by them. Does it by any chance say the words 'Solid bar' on the action flats? Lagopus.....

That is a back action isn't it?...Geo