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Jul 28th, 2025
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Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,867 Likes: 170
Sidelock
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OP
Sidelock
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,867 Likes: 170 |
I have two London sidelocks with 28" barrels, just wondering what is the most popular length used over in England?
I see guns that were made early 1900's that had 28" barrels and wonder why because I would have thought 30 would have been the popular length in those times.
Mike Proctor
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 476 Likes: 76
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 476 Likes: 76 |
I only have two English guns and the barrels of both appear to be uncut.
The barrels on my Joseph Lang are 27" and probably date from 1872 or a bit earlier (they're replacement barrels by James Woodward on a gun completed 6 March 1866).
The barrels on my J&W Tolley are 30" and this gun dates between 1887 and 1894.
I really have no idea what was "most popular".
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Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,284
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,284 |
Almost certainly 28inch certainly during the early 19th century.
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 15,462 Likes: 89
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 15,462 Likes: 89 |
It would appear that as ammunition developed barrels got shorter for a time.
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 11,572 Likes: 165
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 11,572 Likes: 165 |
I recall looking at the inventory at Greenfield's, from whom I bought a gun back in the mid-90's. Way more 28" guns than all the others put together. 30" was popular late 19th-early 20th century, but other than some popular exceptions like Churchill's XXV's, 28" has really dominated over there for a very long time.
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 81
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 81 |
Unaltered English SXS flintlock, 1810, 30 5/8" to the touch hole.
Unaltered W. Scott SXS caplock,1880ish, 30 1/4" to the nipple.
Both of these are black powder muzzleloaders, however
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Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 9,350
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 9,350 |
OT but the 1912 U.S. Olympic team captain, C.W. Billings of New Jersey, used an 1899 26-inch mid-grade Francotte somehow now in my possession. Maybe he was on to something.
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 6,457 Likes: 336
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 6,457 Likes: 336 |
Not sure there is a good answer. Some barrel lengths were popular with certain makers, while not with others. Dicksons are often seen with 29" barrels, while Churchill touted the 25" guns. The period may have something to do with a certain lengths popularity, too.
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Joined: May 2010
Posts: 1,543 Likes: 102
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 1,543 Likes: 102 |
As far as I know there has never been a most favorite barrel length. Some barrels are more popular than others with some shooters as is the case with bore sizes.Its only in these "enlightened times" that people get picky over such things.Lets face it ,its the man behind the gun that counts ,every thing else is just hype.
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,768 Likes: 115
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,768 Likes: 115 |
Daryl is right on that, some Gunmakers tried to tout their particular barrel length as their signature design. Many Woodwards will be found with 29" barrels, 27" was popular with Cogswell & Harrison and Rosson of Norwich. Holland & Holland also played around with 27" tubes for a while. Churchill had a thing about 25" but it seemed a short lived thing that never really caught on. Earlier guns up to about 1910 were mostly found with 30" barrels then after that 28" became more common; that is in 12 bore. Today it is hard to tell. Some guns intended for high driven pheasant are being made with 32" and 34" barrels. I would say anything between 28 and 30 inch would account for about 85% of those commonly in use. Lagopus.....
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