Hi,
I am a new-boy on the block but an old time shooter. You know these rifles and sometimes shotguns all came from the same Belgique Factory and carried the very same pattern on each and everyone. The top of the barrel which if original is octagonal from breech to foresight was manufactured with a plane raised inscription plate into which the purchaser could inscribe his firms name suggesting that this was the maker.
Stephen Grant was a renowned English gun and rifle maker appointed gun-maker to her most gracious majesty, Queen Victoria and of course or perhaps more importantly her Consort Prince Albert and yet Grant too felt that the quality of these imported weapons was sufficient for him to inscribe his firms name and sell them as his weapons. I actually own one of these which was originally a 0.300" Rook Rifle but which has been modernised by boring out the rifling to a finished bore of 0.410" smooth barrelled and hence a shot gun.
For more see "Greener the Gun and It's Development" by W.W. Greener - 1910. Facsimile edition SBN 85368 073 6.
Last edited by ChrisPSR; 06/01/12 09:22 AM.
