One more comment about the 6-Bore Greener ... The rifle weighs 13# as is (with the shorter barrel) and the wrist of the gun is larger than anything I have see before. it is a 'Thick girl" where you grab her. Being an 1851 William Greener He was still relatively new to the game of making guns with his name on them about this time. This is also when he was associating himself with Price Albert (Queen Victoria's Husband) and man, do I wish this thing could talk. I am sure it has seen some interesting things. My suspicion is, it was a larger fouling gun that was cut down to make a "dangerous game rifle" out of. From what I understand, this was pretty common about this time as it was before they really started making specialized guns for Africa. I know India had some high level large bore dangerous game guns from the 1820's and 1830's ... but about the 1850's is when Africa was starting to pick up in popularity for "exploration". I would not be surprised if it was use for any Polar exploration or work up in the cold north.
Either way, My area of collecting focus is "Firearms of Adventure" and this one just called to me, so I added it to the collection.
As for a line throwing gun ... those that I have seen from the same time period just have a much different look and feel. They are more bulky and the barrel is more "cannon like" and are essentially a pipe with a crude stock attached. I don't think it is/was one of those.
I collect "Victorian Adventure Guns" and whatever it was, I think this qualifies. Either hunting LARGE game in Africa, Tigers in India or being on a whaling ship, I am inclined to keep this one for a while. The Fact it was made in England during the Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations. of 1851 London (World's Fair) is a bonus. An awful lot of things that we would all find of interest happened at that exhibition. I want to contact Greener and see what they have to say. No serial number will make that hard, but either way, it was a decent price and so we will see where it goes from here.
Either way, My area of collecting focus is "Firearms of Adventure" and this one just called to me, so I added it to the collection.
My current thinking is that it was a longer barrel gun of some sort with the barrel shortened out of need at some point in its life. I think it was either a "ball gun" (or) a whaling gun. The rear rifle sight is what has me thinking it was converted for use on big game. Most Whaling Guns I have seen don't have a rear sight. Just the front Bead. If you look closely, you can see the rear sight was added after the fact and really wedged in there as it pushed on the metal. A few dangerous game rifles I have seen from the time had bead front sights so that matches. Why they chose that length is either short handy rifle or barrel was damaged and necessity made the new barrel length. The gun has an extra thick Breech area of the barrel. That is larger than most of the dedicated dangerous game guns I have seen. It is also 13 pounds as it is now. I think the barrel is too heavy for a fouling piece.I still say it's a line throwing gun, although much better refined than this one.
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As for a line throwing gun ... those that I have seen from the same time period just have a much different look and feel. They are more bulky and the barrel is more "cannon like" and are essentially a pipe with a crude stock attached. I don't think it is/was one of those.
I collect "Victorian Adventure Guns" and whatever it was, I think this qualifies. Either hunting LARGE game in Africa, Tigers in India or being on a whaling ship, I am inclined to keep this one for a while. The Fact it was made in England during the Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations. of 1851 London (World's Fair) is a bonus. An awful lot of things that we would all find of interest happened at that exhibition. I want to contact Greener and see what they have to say. No serial number will make that hard, but either way, it was a decent price and so we will see where it goes from here.
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, now I feel like I have to find a quiet place for a while till I get my heart rate back to normal.
