Wild Skies, can you describe the failure ? Was it a converted rifle ? Pretty early for a 410.
This gun was described to me as being built with "drop in lumps"--which are simply v-shaped, (as opposed to a dovetail lump that is v-shaped with a mechanical lock that holds the lump in place) the drop in lumps broke loose.
I have a copy of the ledger build sheet for this gun, #84XX that I obtained directly from Peter Powell in Birmingham, it was completed Dec. 24, 1886 and was built for H. Payne, the ledger sheet is hand written and states:
"1 Double barrel Collector Gun for a Lady, steel barrels 28 inches long, 70 bor cylinder taking .410 CF Cartridge. Toplever dbl. bolt with extension. Back-action rebounding locks with springs, Hackilt (? sp.) forend bolt, horn buttplate. Threaded engraving in deal. Care with cleaning rod. 200 bleu cartridges."
