Original British 10 Bore Double Damascus Barrel W. & C. Scott & Son "Premier" Hammer Shotgun with Figured Walnut Stock Serial 6378 - Circa 1878

Original Item: Only One Available. Here we have a beautiful upmarket British-made Double Barreled Hammer shotgun, probably intended for the large U.S. import market. This example in 12 bore was made by the famous makers W. & C. Scott & Son, and is marked W. & C. SCOTT & SON on both highly decorated lock plates. W. & C. Scott started in 1834 and were well known for their better class shotguns. The name changed in 1858 to W. & C. Scott & Son and in 1897 they merged with P. Webley & Son to become the World famous WEBLEY SCOTT REVOLVER & ARMS COMPANY LIMITED. This means that all W. & C. Scott & Son marked guns are definitely considered Pre-1899 Antique Firearms by Federal Law. This lovely example from this company was made around 1878, when the U.S. Export market was booming. The "Premier" model was a somewhat upmarket example, featuring very nice engraved accents, though not the full engraving seen on the more "Deluxe" models. The barrels are definitely "Damascus" forged, which gives a lovely pattern due to the laminated nature of the steel, which also adds strength. The finish is relatively well retained, and the patterns are still clearly visible. The furniture is fantastic, with the figured walnut butt stock having a great carved in and checkered "pistol grip", showing some great grain with a high level of chatoyancy. The fore grip also has some great grain, though it is hard to see as the wood is almost fully checkered. The barrel strap still has a clear marking near the breech: W. & C. SCOTT & SON. [The Premier Quality] 10 G'T CASTLE STREET REGENT CIRCUS, LONDON. The bottom of the barrel assembly bears markings from the London Gun Company proof house, the type used from 1875 to 1887, which allows us to date this gun with a good degree of certainty. Each barrel is marked with a CROWN / GP "Gunmakers" or "Definitive Proof", a CROWN / V "Viewed" marking and "Rampant Lion" over a stylized "VGP" provisional proof for barrels. Both barrels are marked with 10, indicating that the shotgun is in 10 bore (0.775"), and there is also a marking of CHARGE 4 DRM'S 1 1/4 SHOT, which indicates the loading specifications for the cartridges, which at the time were often hand loaded. The other side has a W. R. CCT. 0|65 marking next to a gothic typeface The Premier Gun. The shotgun is marked with serial number 6378 on the bottom of both barrels, on the tail of the trigger guard, and on the receiver "watertable" inside the hinge joint, so no parts look to have been lost or swapped out over the years. There are additional Birmingham "viewed" proofs on the table, as well as several patent markings from W & C SCOTT & SON. We also see the "Castellated Tower" proof marking on the right side of the watertable, which is also present on the trigger guard near the serial number. There are no precise serial number records available for the company, but the "Premier" model, which was made 1873-1878 in a double hammer version, so we believe this shotgun was made towards the end of that period, in about 1878. This lovely upmarket DOUBLE BARREL 10 Bore Hammer Shotgun presents very nicely, still in great shape despite being well over 100 years of age. It does not look to have seen a large amount of use, and we also do not see any signs of restoration or repairs. It is all iron mounted, and the accent engraving is still very well retained throughout. There is even still a good amount of the original case colored finish on the action, and the heavy gloss bluing on the loading lever. The butt stock has an iron butt plate, which actually has two large openings in it for the butt stock wood, which still retains the original checkering. The stock wood itself is still great on both the butt and fore stock, showing just a bit more wear on the fore stock. The action still functions correctly, breaking open using the rear lever with ejection and dry firing. The fore stock can be removed relatively easily by pulling down on the front, allowing the shotgun barrel to be removed for cleaning. The locks do not have any provision for a half cock position, which is common for a hammer shotgun. It is fitted with "rebounding" style hammers, which strike the back of the firing pin and then return to the uncocked position. The firing pins both move freely, and do not look to have been fitted with any type of springs. We checked the bores, and they show very little use, still bright and shiny over much of their length. We did note that the last 3 inches closest to the muzzle on both looks to be less polished than the rest of the bores, however we do not know why. A fantastic upmarket 10 bore hammer shotgun by a Legendary Maker of British shotguns, ready to add to your collection! Specifications- Year of Manufacture: circa 1880 Caliber: 10 bore (0.775") - 3" chambers Cartridge Type: Centerfire Cartridge Barrel Length: 30 Inches Overall Length: 46 1/4 Inches Action type: Side Action Locks with External Hammers Feed System: Top Break with Top Lever