British Sporting Firearms Articles

Forsyth's Scent-Bottle Lock

Forsyth’s Scent‑Bottle Lock The Chemical Breakthrough - Ending the age of Flint The Reverend Alexander John Forsyth at the of this time of his invention, was neither a gunsmith or gunmaker by trade, yet his focussed frustration as a keen Scottish wildfowler led to one of the most consequential inventions in firearms history. John Forsyth was instrumental in the production of some of the finest quality guns, in resolving his frustrations. These guns being made by some of the best London Gunmakers working for Forsyth at this time.

J. D. Dougall - Percussion / Cartridge Conversion Guns

J. D. Dougall - Percussion / Cartridge Conversion Guns This article covers the mindset of the Victorian Gunmaker and Inventor of J. D. Dougall. This unusual dual firing system, allowing the sporting Victorian game shooter in using the latest established design concept of the Centre-Fire Breech-Loader, but also in adverse or difficult conditions, allowing the gun to be used in reverse, and return to days gone, through being used as a Muzzle-Loader.

James Woodward of London

James Woodward of London Charles Moore, Pellet-Lock conversion to Pin-fire An interesting ‘Woodward-Moore Conversion’ – With the unending discussions over the terms of ‘best gun,’ ‘best-gun maker,’ and ‘best gun maker’, these discussions are seemingly hard to avoid, and are even harder to settle. While there have been many storied gunmakers, the period 1851 to 1869 is of primary interest to the author of this article, Stephen Nash, to which he reminds us, ‘It must be remembered, Gun makers of the new concept in building breech-loaders were all equally new to the task, no matter the pedigree of the maker, or their name’.

Westley Richards - 1858 - Presentation Gun

Westley Richards Muzzle Loader Conversion – 1858 Looking at another quality made British Vintage gun, and then something interesting catches your eye ! – A plaque in-let to the right hand side of the stock, which reads – Presented to John Sidebotham by the late Lord Newton “Jan. 1899”.

Theophilus Murcott - Gunmaker - London

Theophilus Murcott of London Stories from the Scrap Pile

Westley Richards - 1848

Westley Richards - 14 bore Muzzle-loader, conversion to Breech-loader

John Blanch 1863

John Blanch - 1863 Fletcher Conversion

Cox and Clarke - Southampton

Cox and Clarke - Southampton The Practical Gunmakers This big bore Wildfowl gun started life as a muzzle loader over 175 years ago. The gun has no name, other than an inscription on the top of the barrel, that reads; Converted by Cox and Clarke the Practical Gunmakers - 28 High Street Southampton.

William Rochester Pape

William Rochester Pape - Newcastle Muzzle Loading Conversion to Breech-loader