doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Precision dating a Bonehill

I have a SxS 12 gauge hammer Bonehill with the Birmingham proofmark that runs up to 1904 on it, but I'd like to narrow the date of manufacture down a bit more.
It's got a low four digit serial number and 'solid steel' engraved on the rib.
Can anyone fix a better time window on this piece?

I doubt it, all records destroyed in the bombing. The current owner would like to catalogue the guns if possible.Photo's and numbers would help.

even if the luftwaffe didn't pay a visit it would be hard to accomplish on something that's "dime a dozen".

Salopian - Just as a point of order - I am surprised to learn that the C.G.Bonehill records were ALL destroyed in the bombing...I assume you mean 68 years ago in WWII. The reason for my surprise is that in 2007 you posted that you have a "friend" who has the Bonehill records and could perhaps help me find information on my SxS. His name was Pete and I sent off the specifics and photos required to do the background check on my Bonehill as requested with an obvious expectation of someday receiving some information in return...from Pete.

Now I learn that I was just contributing to Pete's research effort? Building a data base of research is difficult work, and I applaud anyone willing to devote the time and effort. It is, however, disappointing to learn that I'll never learn more about my Bonehill than I already know, nor should I ever expect to hear back from Pete since the information transfer in this case was apparently a one way street. Why didn't you just say the records were gone back in 2007? Had you done so, I still would have been happy to contribute to the research effort but I wouldn't have had to wonder for two years why I never got a reply.

"Jager"
The C.G.Bonehill name is frequently given little respect, regardless of the fact that some guns bearing it are of very respectable quality. While I am not surprised that you think all Bonehill guns are a "dime a dozen", perhaps you can find the No. 2 mate to my nicely engraved, stocked and gold inlaid No. 1 of a pair at a Wal-Mart price. Even Bonehill was capable of building a fine looking and well balanced SxS when a client was willing to order it. I trust the engraved gold stock oval on mine cost more than a "dime" even then.

"A dime a dozen"?, where are all these Bonehills, especially in the higher grades? I have never located another Eclipse grade. For some details on several Bonehill guns go to Internet Gun Club, Historical section, Bonehill-Matthews Eclipse, I'm starting to come to the conclusion Eclipse was a "sales sample" just to show the workmanship & quality available from Bonehill. --- John Can.

i suspect winchester alone had a boatful of them brought to these shores, but years of hard service wore them out. yes, even english shotgun will fall apart if used hard for real long time with a kindly smith anywhere in sight.

A couple of years ago, and the Nimrod Classic Vintage Gun Shoot in Polson, Mt., I saw a Bonehill hammergun. It's fit and finish were as good as it gets. I could not believe the name on the gun when I saw it. By the way, we will be having this shoot again in mid May, thanks to Robert Harris.

Here is a nice Bonehill, only a boxlock, but has assisted opening and the patented Bonehill breech design.

The Brit Gun Trade was just that, a Trade. Anyone in the Trade could get any materials or services needed at any level of quality; one got what one paid for. Materials and services could be worked down to a price or up to best work level. No body should be surprised to find an obscure BV3 name on a best work gun or a BV1 name on a rather pedestrian gun. The issue was not capability, rather it was obtaining that all powerful commission, with money behind it, to deliver a best work gun. Some makers/finishers/retailers were better than others at attracting orders for higher quality guns. It is fruitless to try to associate the capability of quality work with particular makers' names.

That response is a bit ignorant and insulting on your part.

Even a beginner would know that plenty of factories, small and large, had fairly decent records for the start and end dates of a production run. Obviously, Bonehill's records did not survive.