doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Hunter & Son Belfast Company Information?

Hi,

Wondered if anyone has any information on the company "Hunter & Son Belfast"

I was given a hammer side by side shotgun a couple of years ago and seem to be at a dead end with my research.

I think that they were called "Hunter and Kirker" in 1883 before they were "Hunter and Son" in 1901, they then seemed to move into making fishing tackle as well as guns around the same time as the name change (found and ordered a catalogue online). The owner seemed to be Adam hunter, followed by his son William Hunter but now I seem to have hit a brick wall!!

I also know their address was 62 Royal Avenue, Belfast. I have a couple of addresses for Adam Hunter in the late 1800s and one address for William Hunter in the 1911 census where Adam lived in his later life as an "Invalid".

Would really like to confirm if they had any name changes to or from Hunter & Son and if anyone has any record of them trading after 1918?

Thanks
Karl

Cant help much with the history, I think I asked the same question here a couple of years ago.Maybe someone has learned something since. I owned one, nice enough gun.

Good to see another Irish gun... Can you post pics?

Just taken a few piccys and I think I found a proof mark that dates it pre 1904






I made a little blog to store the info I have, there are some more images there Hunter & Son Blog

Karl

Interesting Gun. Originally proofed in Birmingham between 1896 and 1904 and then later re-proofed in London. 2 1/2" chambers and nitro proof. It looks as if it has had some metal bored out for the later re-proof as it was originally quite tightly bored at 14 bore but now a true 12 in the barrel at .729 which means it measured between .729" and .740" at time of proof. It would be classed as out of proof in Britain if it ever goes beyond .740" at 9" from the breech face. It looks like the work of the Midland Gun Company of Birmingham who were makers to the trade as well as under their own name. Excellent photos by the way. Lagopus.....

Thanks for the info, not bad photos for a camera phone!

My granddad is quite pleased as he assumed it was made around 1930. He gave it to a local gun shop about 20 years ago to have it valued and he thinks it was re-proofed then.

Re-read you post a couple of times and think I understand the "out of proof" concept, the gun has shot less than a box of cartridges in the last 40 years. I assume that firing the gun would wear the barrels out of proof?

So you think it would have been made by Midland Gun Company and then Hunter and Sons would have branded it? bit cheeky calling themselves gunmakers!

Karl