doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com MY BOSS RENOVATION ADVENTURE

Well, my prize arrived in good order this afternoon. Thanks to Rookhawk for a perfectly honest description of the gun and for an excellent job of communication, packaging and shipping.

I'm afraid I've bought a genuine Boss&Co wallhanger. Someone above pointed out that as a pinfire conversion, which this one is, there might not be enough metal in the chamber area to support a successful sleeve. The chamber wall at the breech is less than 1/8th inch. I think I have a Parker with muzzle walls thicker than that.

I still plan to have someone with the requisite knowledge and experience look it over for an assessment. It's possible a down-guage sleeve might work out or maybe someone else's idea of fitting new lumps on another set of barrels will be a possibility. However I suspect that other than a possible cosmetic makeover I'll never get this one shooting. The wood and the engraving are lovely. I'm disappointed in that, but I bought it as a wallhanger and that's what I suspect it'll remain, a very nice one at that!

I do have an enquiry in with Boss&Co. for a history of the gun and they indicate that they do have all the information on it. I expect the delay on their part must be that the gun has some Royal connection and they must have felt it best to notify the Queen before disclosing it all to me. Anyone know what the three plumes on the gold oval inlay in the stock may signify? I am waiting with bated breath for a discreet call from someone at Sandringham.

OK dadgummit, I take back all the snide remarks I made about jOe's input on this!...Geo

The exuberant optimism of a gun nut. Good for you George.

What about an entirely new set of barrels? I know people who had Galazan make a second set of barrels for double guns. A set of 16 gauge IC/M for quail hunting? Not sure the cost or feasibility of that idea. If all else fails . . . a nice decoration above the fireplace in the hunting lodge.

A little paint and a quart of bondo and she'll hang with the best of them...

I thought you might be interested to hear what results I received from Boss about the history of the gun. Their records show the gun was built in 1860 for a gentleman named Hon. Rev. J. W. Lascelles. They had no record of the center-fire conversion so I guess the buyer had someone else do that.

Just for curiosity I googled the name. Lascelles (pronounced lassals) is an old Norman French name going back to the Norman Invasion, and the family bearing the name had been prominent in England for centuries. They are in the Burke�s Peerage with a crown beside the name so I guess there is some �Royal� connection after all. I knew of the �primogeniture� custom of the oldest son inheriting the title and land, the second son going to the military and the third son going into the clergy.

It turned out that Preacher Lascelles who commissioned our Boss in 1860 at the age of 30, was the 6th child of the 3rd Earl of Harewood. J.W. was born in 1831 and died in November of 1901. During his time of service to the Church, he was Rector of Goldsborough for 44 years and was also Canon (whatever that is) of Ripon Cathedral. I thought the Ripon reference was pretty interesting; perhaps the original owner of our Boss actually shot it on a peg next to the Earl de Grey at some point during his service to the Cathedral bearing the Ripon name!

I�m having a ball checking out the Boss. This is the 1st Jones under-lever action I�ve seen and also the 1st non-rebounding hammer gun. The measurements shown on the Boss order page still match the measurements on the gun after 151 years. I�m going to take any renovation I do with very deliberate speed; if I can get the barrels sleeved or something so as to be useable, I'll continue to the next step.

Wish me luck, jOe!...Geo

Good luck! Our guns were built then in the same year. A Mr. M. Munsy commissioned my gun. Sure wish I could find out more about him. I would try like heck to find a way to refurbish it if I were you. They are cool old guns. I wish mine had the more modern looking fences like yours.

my monies on you, there is always a way. im sure ill get a homeless joe type response from the experts for even thinking of this fix.how about making plugs that match the inner and outside contours of the barrels and have them welded in and struck to the outside contours of the barrels then have the full length 16 guage inserts welded in. then either have the barrels browned or have them finished with the damascus pattern and faux damascus in the repaired area. i can hardly wait for the pros and cons on this one.

Good on you George. I'm looking forward to your progress report posts already!

The three plumes are generally taken as being "The Prince of Wales' Feathers", an heraldic device that goes back to the thirteenth century (or before for all I know) being the badge and symbol of the Princes down the ages.

There's many a pub called the Prince of Wales, or The Prince of Wales Feathers and they usually carry a pic of the device on the pub sign, as below. I believe the true emblem has to be of three ostrich feathers within a coronet bearing the legend "Ich Dien" meaning "I serve".



As to why they appear on the escutcheon of your gun I don't know, but the Lascelles were as you say, close to the Royal family (and are now related by marriage) so it might possibly be a presentation piece. Sometimes companies are appointed as "Suppliers of Guns / underpants/ door knockers" or whatever to members of the Royal family. I suppose it might just be the Boss were Appointed and popped the symbol on.

Eug

The fellow that let it get in this state of disrepair should be pistol whipped....