Here is a patent use number "1432" for a "JP" patent. Trying to figure out what the "JP" is.



From a double .450 BPE rifle U-L hammer gun dated to 1878. Seems early for a Perks ejector (patented in 1878).

I could be mistaken but I believe that is the patent number in the triangle, not the patent use number.
Steve

Hard to tell if it's a patent number (I don't have it in my database) or patent use number. I'll put up pictures of the gun and the advertisement. Perhaps someone might recognize something (note Henry A&T patent use numbers on the barrel) (also you rarely see a straight stock on a Reilly SxS rifle):

https://www.gunsinternational.com/guns-f...un_id=100569861

E. M. Reilly .450 BPE Double Rifle

Description:

Magnificent .450 BPE for either black powder or nitro-for-black loads. 25.5 inch barrels, and a handy 37.5 inch overall length. Rebounding firing pins, lever forend latch, fine and clean checkering. Possibly refinished, but if so, exceedingly well done. Fully engraved everywhere. Unusual "side-under lever", opens by pushing down as opposed to pulling to side as on most underlevers. Opens and closes easier than any I have felt. Very, very smooth like a bank vault. Very fine bores with deep rifling. Crisp trigger pulls. Straight English style stock. Only 8 pounds, points very well. Locks up tight. Sling swivels. Stock has high end shotgun style butt that has toe and heel plates. Comes in period correct English leather and oak case restored by Marvin Huey with onyx tools, brass oil bottle, brass cleaning rod. Comes with reloading dies and around 40 loaded rounds, some period rounds, some current Kynoch. Also comes with unloaded brass, around 300 projectiles, and trim die. Email for more photos,

That rifle uses the Purdey double underbite patent and it may or may not be a version thumb opener patent(I have not seen one using the lever in place of the thumb piece before). I will bet the number corresponds to one of the two patents.

Purdey double bite snap patent was N:o 1104/1863 which shows in drawings an early thumb hole action with the opening lever pivoted on the action bar.

Markus

You are of course correct. I am beginning to think the patent may be for the the opening system. Some great pics in Crudington & Baker but I can not find the patent number for the Purdey thumb opener.

Snap action tumb lever was discussed here on this line.
https://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubb...&PHPSESSID=

here is Diggory on the thumb lever and snap-action underlever which this gun appears to have:


This from Shotgun Life: https://www.[censored].com/shotguns/guns/purdey-8142-visits-nebraska-bohemian-alps.html
Purdey’s patent number 8372 was for the second pattern thumb hole action,

Here is Diggory on Purdey patents:
https://www.vintageguns.co.uk/magazine/the-patents-of-james-purdey-the-younger-2
Patent No. 1104, of 2 May 1863 – Double Bite Snap-Action (“Purdey Bolts”)
Patent No. 424, of 14 February 1865 – Single Bite Snap-Action & Others
Patent No. 1464, of 25 May 1866 – Loaded Indicators
Patent No. 2319, of 23 July 1868 – Adjustable Elevation for the Breech

Patent 1104 would have expired on 1 May 1878. Don't know about the snap lever patents. I have the gun being serial numbered in summer 1878 - obviously an estimation,

Another very knowledgeable poster offers the following:
The diamond may be referring to patent #2319 of 1868 by James Purdey for an "adjustable tang-mounted rear sight"

Again from Diggory:
"This patent relates more to the fit than the function of a gun, providing the same adjustment as an elevated rib, a concept which had first been introduced by Joseph Manton in 1806. Many of Purdey’s guns at that time were fitted with either ‘semi-bottom’ or ‘bottom’ ribs. These were set down between the barrels, and in the case of the latter actually exposed the breech-face between the breech-ends. While they allow for a slight reduction in weight, they are obviously virtually invisible to the user when firing. James’ solution, in essence, was to have a plate screwed onto the top tang and over the breech, which could be adjusted up or down by turning a screw. This would only work on a gun that was not fitted with a toplever, as in that case the two would have occupied the same space. However, once again it is not known whether any guns were ever fitted with these devices."

However, I don't see it on this gun.

I also note the mark A&T just near the serial number. This is for Adams & Tait who were barrel riflers. Lagopus…..

Thank Lagopus. Actually a few months ago I took a look at Henry Patent and Henry A&T patent rifling use numbers on Reilly's, and other guns, hoping to be able to use them to date a gun. Early on 1860-65 all looked well....then it fell apart:

https://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=568253

The A&T patent use numbers on Reilly SN 21369 are 3793, 3794 - close to the Henry patent A&T use numbers 3524, 3525 on SN 21361. I was never sure how the A&T patent use numbers intersected with the regular Henry patent use numbers....but from the attached line there obviously were at least a couple of chronologies..... A&T started in 1862 and early on looked to mesh with the Henry numbers..but I gave up trying to make sense of it all:

21361 - E.M. Reilly & Co., Oxford Street, London & Rue Scribe, Paris. .450BPE. Rifle SxS. U-L, hammer gun. Henry patent A&T use #3524, #3525
21369 - E.M. Reilly & Co., address not mentioned. .450 BPE Rifle SxS. U-L, hammer gun. Henry patent A&T use #3793, #3794; JP Patent 1452

According to Nigel Brown's book they were going from 1862 to circa 1920 and he just lists them as Barrel Makers. I have a couple of Rook Rifles with the A&T stamp on them. Lagopus…..

Here's another Reilly SN 17364 from 1872, five years before this gun, with "J.P. Patent 1037"....advertised by Holt's:

https://auctions.holtsauctioneers.com/asp/fullCatalogue.asp?salelot=A0919+++1808+&refno=++143166
E.M. REILLY & CO.
A 12-BORE PUSH-FORWARD UNDERLEVER HAMMERGUN, serial no. 17534,
29 3/4in. nitro reproved fine damascus barrels, wide rib engraved 'E.M. REILLY & CO. NEW OXFORD STREET. LONDON.', 2 3/4in. chambers, bored approx. true cyl. and 1/2 choke, push-forward underlever, carved percussion fences, action flats marked 'PATENT ACTION' and 'J.P. PATENT 1037' (likely referring to J. Purdey patent double bite, patent no. 1104 of 2nd May 1863), rounded bar, rebounding sidelocks with engraved faceted hammers, fine acanthus scroll engraving with feathered bordering, 14 1/2in. highly-figured stock (crack to left underhorn and at head to rear of right lockplate) including horn buttplate, weight 7lb. 4oz.



Holt's seemed to think the Patent use number number was for Purdey Patent 1104. However, I'm wondering if it in fact were for that snap-action under-lever. (Unfortunately no picture of the stamp.) That might make sense since Patent 1104 should have expired before SN 21369 (the gun in question) were made. (I tried to compile a chart of all Reilly guns which had a Purdey patent 1104 use number to check to see if it was consistent. It rapidly fell apart, but perhaps this was because I was mixing 1104 use numbers with that snap action patent.)

The Purdey second-pattern thumb-hole action is pictured here - not the snap lever pictured above which looks to be basically a Daw spin-off design. So back to square one? Or did Purdey make the snap-action under-lever without the thumb hole?

I'm sure the "J.P Patent" on the original subject gun is not/not for Purdey's Pat 1104. That Patent expired 01 May 1877. Here is the last Reilly with that 1104 patent which includes use number 4928. It is SN 20623, which the Reilly chart would date to April 1877 (now used as a "sanity check" date marker) - (not from the use number itself...but the fact that it has a use number).