doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Woodward Nitro Proof

Thank you Roy...once it comes in I will take a closer look at the barrels. I spoke with Bill Hadfield at Robbin Hollow, who looked at it as well.....and sent a message to Smallbore via LinkedIn. The gun is on the Cabelas Scarbough ME site.... With more info. I thought it was a good deal for a Woodward replacement barrels or not...it is not sleeved from what I can tell.

If Purdey did it it would be London Proof.

True Woodward is a London maker, but the proof marks on both the water table and bbl flats are all Birmingham. Nothing odd about that, after all Boswell a London maker, proofed all his guns in Birmingham.

The gun is a nice looker Condor, congrats on your "new" gun. I hope you'll have many happy and healthy years shooting her.

Best!

Greg

Thank you all for the helpful comments. Once I get the Woodward records from Purdey and was told they have ledger info on this gun, the original barrels will probably be described somewhat. Some later owner probably had the new barrels made and in Birmingham. I asked the seller to remove the forend and asked if it moved at all...he said it was tight...then all I wanted to know was the barrel thickness...after those two issues, I was good to go...but also have a 3 day examin period and will show it to Stephen Hutton.

Condor,
I have looked at enlarged views of the action flats as seen on the pictures posted by Cabelas. The original proof marks on the action flats are London. This is further confirmation that the barrels are of Birmingham and not London origin. The quality of the finishing of the action flats[many file marks visible]would not be acceptable to Woodward/Purdey or for that matter any of the Leading Birmingham makers of the era.
In my experience Sidelock shot guns with extractors[ seldom encountered] sell for 30-40% of the price asked for side lock ejector guns of similar quality/condition made by the makers of best guns.

Condor: Roy H knows these English guns. I don't think it's sleeved, rather replacement barrels, but clearly not by the maker. Gary Downey @ Osprey Arms has a very nice #2 Woodward sidelock ejector for sale that's appears all original and pretty fairly priced for a Woodward. You might want to take a look. I've had some dealings with Gary and found him fair, easy to work with and he has super nice guns.

Hi, Roy is right on. I just saw the London View mark on the water table, good eye Roy.

Still, a nice gun!

Right....I think the pictures are not great but I have time to look it over. Also, Dig just contacted me though LinkedIn and I sent him the link....I did get today the following from George Juer of Purdey... I also asked if he had the actual ledger sheet...anyway this is what he wrote:...in part

" Having checked our records, I can inform you that this hammerless 12b gun was number 1 of a pair made in July 1888 for the Earl of Westmoreland.

It had a 14 5/8" stock and the whole gun weighed 6 lbs 2 oz with its 29" barrels."

That's it except I hope to see the actual ledger sheet....as the pictures are not great so I am not see file marks, but whatever....the engraving looks great but the photos do not help. I will confirm the ejector issue but actually I do not like ejectors in the field....but if I get more info I will post and will take better pictures when it arrives. Thanks to all again..

Dig just got back to me but headed to bed...he is off to do some cod fishing when he gets up....this us what he wrote:

"It is not totally clear in the photographs - however, the marks on the barrel tubes look like they could be a crown over an italic 'R', which is a London re-proof mark. Birmingham used a solid block 'R' rather than an italic. If so, the barrels will be oringinal and re-proofed at some time in London. They have Birmingham proof marks denoting a date between 1954 and 1986. They could be new barrels or the flats could have been struck smooth before re-proof. The beading around the chamber rims on the outside of the barrels looks very fresh and a bit stark compared with the other engraving. If they are new barrels, they probably re-used the original rib; showing the Whitworth steel inscription. I think that is quite likely. Hard to be sure without being able to inspect it properly. "

By the way the gun originally was in the Cabelas Buda Texas shop and I had it delivered to ME...thinking I would go up and see it.



Also, for historical purposes the 12 Earl probably ordered the gun, then the 13th Earl had to liquidate the entire estate in 1907 because of serious financial problems and the family Home at Alethorpe( sp) went into disrepair and saved later by the government in the 1980's... I wonder if the guns were part of the liquidation. The 13 th Earl was Aide to Camp to King Geoge V during WW1

Would love to see a picture of the entire gun.