Could not find a thread for this topic. Have 19979. Mr. Greener said it was too early for his surviving records. Any recent information?
Here is 19434. I believe d.o.m. is 1875 to 1880? Do the features or patents help narrow it down?
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Got the below from Graham Greener on W.W. Greener double barreled hammer gun serial number 21,384:
"Your W W Greener external hammer gun was made in 1879. It is a double barrel, double grip with dolls head extension to the top rib, central fire 12 bore shotgun. It was proved at 12 bore and is choked to 13 bore at the muzzle. The stock does not have a Prince of Wales type grip it is what is described in the trade as a ‘half pistol hand’ and it was this type of grip that was mainly employed on guns intended for export. The gun cost 9 guineas when made or £9 and nine shillings in old English money a fairly plain, inexpensive type known later as a ‘Dominion’ model."
don't know about the serial number, but the barrel set you show was proofed in london between 1954 and 1989. i don't see the date marking to pinpoint the exact year of proving.
are there other proofs on the bottom of the tubes forward of the flats? if there are greener elephant stamps and/or w.w.g. markings and appropriate serial number, then they are original barrels that have been reproved. but that's pretty early times for fluid barrels that might be reproved to modern standards.
absent those markings, i expect that the barrels are replacements of the originals, and as such would simply bear their original proofs from the time of their proving. what does the legend on the rib show?
I am away from my Greener book, but my Greener No. 24419 was made in 1881. Dan's from 1879 was 3,035 guns earlier, suggesting that Greener was making perhaps 1500 per year at that time. Assuming that guns were numbered consecutively, Hal's might date to around 1878.
I think Greener patented the facile princeps action in 1880, so it makes sense that this A&D actioned gun would predate that. My 1892 Greener Forester, his cheapest gun, had the FP action so I think he used it on everything once he patented it.
if you can examine the crossed swords markings closely, they may give a clue as to year of proving...i have the birmingham codes from 1921 on, does anyone have the earlier london version?
I was pretty close. According to Graham Greener's The Greener Story, they made 1497 guns in 1878, numbers 19001-20497.
Thanks. 1878 it is. It is in excellent condition and wish I could still use it on grouse. Have to admit that side safety takes awhile to get used to.