doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Double Rifles, Paradox Guns & Gauge Rifles @ doublegunshop.com Army&Navy Cape Gun

What should appear at the Kabul Cape Eggers gun dealer but a cape gun, marked Army & Navy CSL, back action sidelock, hammers that can be bolted with a Jones underlever. The gun uses extractors. The forend comes off with one of those old fastenings that slides across. Steel barrels with a dolls head; back sight has one folding leaf marked 50; front sight a bit beaten down. Four Proof marks on the flats: from the breech forward they are: London Provisional proof for barrels; London View, the numbers 39, and London definitive black powder proof. On the bottom rib some inches from the flats are the numbers 1646. The serial number of the gun, found on the trigger bow is 937, confirmed on the action flats. Steel butt plate. LOP is my estimate about 14 to 14-1/4.

The gauge/caliber are not marked. The right barrel appears to be 16 gauge, but might be 20. Barrels are clean inside with some dings on the outside, but no dents. The left rifled barrel with wide lands and grooves fits a martini-henry cartridge according to the dealer (577/450). Asking price is $1,800.

I'll take my camera and post photos next time I can get to Eggers, but grateful for thoughts and observations on the info above.

Regards, Tim

Tim if you buy it make sure you find out what cartridge it's chambered for. Don't take the dealers word and try and shoot a 577/450.

Tim:

The "39" mark on the flats is the bore diameter of the rifled barrel. Pre-1887, the British marked bore diameter of all barrels in gauge - 39 gauge is for a rifled .500 barrel. This is not a .577/.450, or at least was not originally. Assuming that the seller is correct and a .577/.450 MH will chamber....that doesn't make sense to me. No way a .577/.450 will chamber in one of the straight cased .500s, which suggests one of the bottlenecked .577 based .500s, such as the .577/.500 No. 2. However, a .577/.450 MH shouldn't chamber in one of those either (base diameter should still be too large).

Diameter of the shot barrel SHOULD be marked. If it's a cape gun, both barrels wouldn't be marked "39". There should be a 12, 16, etc., somewhere on the smooth barrel.

The "1646" on the bottom rib is the trade maker's serial number.

The pictures will help. Good luck.

All,

Looks as if this is the same gun that CLH is enquiring about in a thread Army & Navy double rifle on the main board. I'll move my description over there... Imagine that he is the dealer, or, maybe another potential buyer.
Best, Tim