doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Help with Value of old British Hammer Gun (Pic's)

Roy, Why would they do this? Would they want to shoot 2.7" cartridges in the 2.5" chambers? What really confuses me is that today the proof house marks 850 bar whether its' 2.5 or 2.75. So there is no difference in the tests. Please help. Justin

My thoughts are that the origional owner of the gun wanted an extra factor of safety in their 2 1/2 chambered guns. To achieve this objective, they specified that their 2 1/2 chambered guns be subjected to the 2 3/4 proof test.
Another possibility is; for example, in the case of Webley and Scott, they may have used their 2 1/2 guns guns ability to pass the 2 3/4 proof test, as a sales incentive. I think the risk decribe by Burrard was likely due to individuals owning a used gun, after seeing the 1 1/4 oz proof mark on the action; purchasing 2 3/4 cartridges with 1 1/4 oz loads! Just another case of lack of understanding and human error, that could result in a serious accident.Your question related to current test proceedures should be directed to the Birmingham Proof Master, Mr, Roger Hancox.
By the way, Vic Venters, published an excellent article on the. "Rules of proof", in the Jan /Feb 2009 edition of Shooting Sportsman.

Doesn't 1 & 1/4 oz's of shot in a 2 & 1/2", 12 ga. hull go against the British square load theory ?

Thanks Roy,Justin

WHAT British Square Load Theory???
All the Square Load theories I have ever seen were writen by Americans, most of whom didn't even understand what they were proclaiming, as for instance a 3/4oz load being a Sq Load in a 28ga.
PS the Sq Load theory relates to bore size & is not based on case length. There are two conditions often stated for the definition, one is that the shot charge is of equal weight to a bore fitting round ball. The other states the shot column in the bore should have a length equal to its dia, thus a .729" long column in the bore of a 12ga.
PPS; By the Round Ball theory a 12ga Sq load would be 1 1/3oz, by equal length to dia column about 1 1/16oz. 1¼oz does not fit either definition in any length case. In reading over the years I have seen several writers state both definitions as if they were one & the same, poor saps had absolutely no idea what they were even talking about.

Maybe jOe confused the rule of 96?

That's enOugh from the pee'nut gallery....I know better than to argue with 2-piper.

Did you get that basket case Scott hammer gun back yet ?

Daryl, that's odd because I can't find an e-mail address for the Proof House either. maybe a telephone call to them and they might give one. I would expect them to have e-mail contact. Lagopus.....

Maybe this has being posted already but Holland & Holland sold the Jeffery records and name some years ago and the buyer contracted the rights to the Jeffery name to J. Roberts & Son, London.

I have recently found that J Roberts does indeed have the Jeffery manufacturing rights, but the records are held in the U.S. They sent my request to the U.S. record holder with the statement that "Factory Information" is released twice a year without charge. The Roberts people were very accomodating and I appreciated that. I do not know who, in the U.S., holds the Jeffery records.