Original English Stalking rifle

[chapmans]

Hello everyone, I was given the loan of this rifle to see if I could find anything out about it, it's .75 caliber with 2 groove rifling, the barrel is 28" long and measures 1.170" across the flats at the breech, .935" at the waist(about 5" back from the muzzle) and .975 at the muzzle. It is a little worse for wear but still a very interesting piece!



























  I have more pictures, if there is a different view you would like to see just let me know.
  Regards, Steve Chapman

[Feltwad]

Your rifle would have been made by the London gun maker Josiah Harrington of 38 Regent Circus, 1849 and 14 Pelham Street, Brompton 1855.This type of rifle would have been used by army personnel in India  or Africa  for big game ,with two groove rifling it would have used a type of belted ball .
Feltwad

[Chris Treichel]

For more information on the belted ball rifling you can look up the Brunswick rifle.

[chapmans]

Thanks so much for the information, I was really close when I told him where it was built and what it was used for, I just wasn't sure if the name on the lock was the maker of the rifle. I appreciate the information and will pass it on. How about value? Any ideas?
    Regards, Steve

[Bob Roller]

Steve,
Can you show the inside of the lock.Looking at the screw points,I'd say it
is a 3 post bridle with the sear on a shaft.
The fine old piece looks like it has a lot of honest use and little or no abuse.

Bob Roller

[chapmans]

Bob,
  I didn't take the lock out, I was a little hesitant to take the barrel off, the current owner has owned it for 25 years and had only cycled the lock a few times because he was concerned about breaking the springs, when I picked up the rifle to look at it I cocked the hammer a couple of times and he just cringed, needless to say I would hate to have the wood break out around the lock, if he would give me permission I will gladly take pics and post.
  Regards, Steve

[T*O*F]

Steve,
Thanks for the timely pictures.  The one showing the snail and drip bar will help me solve a problem with a gun currently on my bench.

[chapmans]

You're welcome Dave!

[hammer]

Wouldn't mind owning that!
The hammer looks to be a replacement.   No quality to the shape or design and the original would have had fancy engraving that complemented the lock plate.  Still a good fit.
Not sure about a belted ball.  No pair of cut-outs at the muzzle a la Brunswick. 
Lovely piece.

[GrampaJack]

I can't imagine dropping the hammer on a 75cal front loader with an angry lion 10 yds away and closing.  I think that is a really cool gun, have always wanted to own a "cape gun" but I've never had the opportunity or the cash. This would make a dandy substitute.  Thanks for sharing.  Jack

[Dphariss]

Nice.
Reminds me of the English rifle Granville Stuart describes in "Prospecting for Gold in Montana".
It had a Tiger engraved on it, was about 72 caliber IIRC and he stated that with a load that shot well it turned him 1/2 around when he shot it.

Dan

[gard72977]

I can't imagine dropping the hammer on a 75cal front loader with an angry lion 10 yds away and closing.  I think that is a really cool gun, have always wanted to own a "cape gun" but I've never had the opportunity or the cash. This would make a dandy substitute.  Thanks for sharing.  Jack

I would be really hoping that I had a good cap !!!!!!!

[Habu]

Steve, if you still have the rifle, would you check the rate of twist please?

Thanks,
Jim

[chapmans]

Bob, here is a photo of the internals, the stirrup is broken and repaired I'm guessing because of the replacement hammer, it still functions properly and I was surprised to see the repair. This gun has been in the family for 50+ years and nobody has done anything with it so everything that has been done was more than 50 years ago.

[chapmans]

Jim,
  I will do my best to get you the twist, the bore is rough and it may be hard to get a patch to go smoothly and rotate properly, I will look with a light and make an educated guess since we know the bbl length.
  Regards Steve

[Bob Roller]

Steve,
Thanks for sending this picture.That "repair" on the mainspring link is going to let go from full cock and it can cause the mainspring to snap down hard and wreck the bottom of the stock.The bridle where the sear pivot goes also has a piece missing.That was and still is a quality gun as the dedicated inletting shows.
Is there any readable name inside the lock? There was a bunch of lock filers in Wolverhampton back in the "day" when this was a new gun.

Bob Roller