I purchased this Leech recently, and have been looking for some information other than Nigel Brown's British Gunmakers. Was leech actually a gunmaker or a retailer? I e-mailed Leech with the serial number and was given the info that the gun was completed in 1913. 30 inch cylinder modified damascus barrels with ejectors. Clean shiny bores seems didnt have a lot of use at all. 65mm chambers. Any info is appreciated.

All the best!

Kem

Love those fences! Very good.

It is a beautiful gun.

If the chamber length is shown as 65mm rather than 2 1/2 inches it has probably been re-proofed at some stage.

If you could post photos of the proof marks and any under barrel mark we can probably tell you a lot more

Kem;

I agree with Parabola, it is a beautiful gun and not only that the engraving is superb as is the entire filing and carving of the action. With such beautiful large scroll engraving that is done in the most excellent manner for the timeframe, plus the very fine top grade damascus pattern welded barrels, my guess is that the gun was a bespoke made gun that Leech & Sons ordered from one of the better Birmingham makers; and it was not made by Leech. However, since my libray of references list Leech being a gunmaker in Essex for a long period time, I think that by the time that this gun was made Leech was retailing guns made by others for his firm and not making guns. It is not the norm for provential firms such as Leech to have had the capabilities to make such an excellent firearm; there were some that could such as Horsley and Green. By 1913 fewer and fewer gun purchasers were ordering damascus barrels and this gun is special to my mind in that regard.

Bottom line is that you have found a jewel. Guns with long damascus barrels are in demand in today's market place, especially ones with good barrel wall thickness.

Please take more photos and send to us. Photos of the barrel flats, action face and the inside of the fore-arm will tell us a great deal. From the photos that you sent we can see that the gun was made with a Scott spindle and not the less expensive Greener top lever works.

Kindest Regards;
Stephen Howell

Great looking gun great engraving

Beautiful gun. I wonder if the owner who took possession of it shortly before the Great War survived the war or perished in the war and that is the reason for such a pristine looking gun. A gem never the less.

From the appearance of the engraving (nice photos, by the way) this is a best work gun. "Best work" was roughly a standard throughout the trade. Best work boxlocks are considerably more rare than are best work sidelocks due to the higher fashionability of sidelocks. Best work BL's are of the same quality as best work SL's (that statement may well start an argument). Interestingly, the various factors of a gun would usually be all the same quality grade of work. That is design , materials, workmanship, and embellishment would match for quality. Nice find. Enjoy.

DDA

For once, I think I might have some useful information to contribute. 1. I vaguely recall seeing that gun in a recent Holt's auction (or similar) and that is I am assuming where you picked it up. 2. Like my Leech and Sons, I suspect that gun was made by G&S Holloway. If so, it will have a short serial number on the bottom rib with an H prefix, this will confirm G&S Holloway origins. 3. If a G&S Holloway, it looks a lot like their model No. 2121 (see image below). 4. If G&S Holloway origins, records are available from Chris Holloway - custodian of the G&S Holloway records: email tipton.harrier@yahoo.co.uk. 5. According to the 1925 Holloway catalog, that model would have retailed for around 44 pounds, which makes it a very nice gun. 6. The Leech records I got on my gun were not accurate, so trust the Holloway records, if applicable.



Here is my post where other folks on here help me run down the origins of my Leech.

https://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=528280&page=1

Hope this helps and beautiful gun! Now I wish I had bought it!

Dan

Big thanks everyone that commited to this post. Appreciated much, now i had the time to picture the barrel flats and the H prefix serial number on the bottom rib as Dan suggested. It seems that the gun was reproofed in London in 1981. Excited to hear your thoughts! Pictures below, all the best.

Kem









Awaiting your responses gentlemen, with all respect thank you for helping out.

I have the Holloway catalogue that is referenced and reviewing it plus with the H prefix serial number on your gun, it certainly seems Holloway made to me. I have a Holloway made 20 bore BLNE.

I notice that the action engraving is still in very good condition as is the engraving of the screws---all top notch engraving, probably from the famous number 11 St. Mary's row engraving shop 11 on the third floor. Even the engraving on the fore-end iron is still very good and as I mentioned before the barrels are beautifully made.

Stephen Howell

My Holloway made Leech with Holloway serial number H6275 was built in 1908 so I would imagine yours was built between that date and the date of the catalog, which is 1925, if memory serves. If you email Chris Holloway - custodian of the G&S Holloway records: email tipton.harrier@yahoo.co.uk he should be able to send you pictures of the corresponding Holloway ledger entries.

Thanks for the feedback guys. I e mailed Chris Holloway but didnt get any response yet. Still i hunted with her in sunday and she is a beauty!

Wow!!!!