1847 Reilly 16 bore SxS - Need a barrel expert

[springfield art]

Good morning all, looking for some advice. I shoot mostly 19thcentury SxS shotguns. I recently wrote a new short history of London gunmaker E.M. Reilly, published in Diggory Hadoke’s on-line magazine.
https://www.vintageguns.co.uk/magazine/a-new-history-of-e-m-reilly

The Reilly history led me to this gun; the owner contacted me and I wound up buying it for really a wall-hanger price. It is a 16 bore, J.C. Reilly SxS muzzle-loading shotgun. It has both the 316 High Holborn and the 502 New Oxford Street addresses on the rib making it certainly 1847 (He moved his shop from High Holborn to New Oxford St in late March 1847).

The gun turned out to be very attractive. 28” Damascus barrels, double trigger. I was going to restore but the patina on it is so appropriate that I’ll likely leave it as it is.

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This ad is from 09 Nov 1847 "London Post," 8 months after Reilly moved (removed) to Oxford Street:

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Now here’s the question: Now I want to shoot the gun. I’m going to leave the stock pretty much as is…maybe clean out the checkering – I like the patina. However, there are a few condition problems of the barrels that need to be checked out:

Small dent in the left barrel – possibly done in shipping:
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Small area of corrosion on the outside breech area of the left barrel – doesn’t look much deeper than the stamped serial number:
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Some deeper corrosion on the left barrel about 5”'s in front of the breech:
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Nipples are not blocked and appear in good condition. It looks like they haven’t ever been changed….but……you never know and I don't know whether I can find caps to fit them:
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I need a good barrel man familiar with old muzzle loaders to check out the barrel, wall thickness, nipples, corrosion, bore (I don’t have a bore scope) to see if it’s safe to shoot and perhaps to change the nipples if need be. The gunsmiths in Northern Virginia sort of said, “Well, don’t know much but I’ll figure it out.” No thanks. Recommendation anyone.

There's a very well known guy in the Civil War field who restores musket barrels; Bobby Hoyt, I'm sure many guys will steer you to him. I'd think if you google Robert Hoyt, or contact NSSA sites, you could find out if he works on shotguns.

 

[GREENSWLDE]

Looking at the photo of the front end of the barrels there is no KEEL on either rib,just filled with solder.This is a good indicator that the barrels have or may have been shortened.
The muzzle bent should be no problem with a tapered mandrel and a light soft metal hammer but put plenty of Cello-Tape over the area to save bruising the tube.
Damascus tubes are pretty soft.

OLD DOG.

 

[Rudyard]

I find it alarming to read the casual way owners regard original guns as expendable to their ignorant whims .The gun is a piece of history. We are mere custodians of them our personal whims have no relevance . Because it came cheap you cant consider it unimportant & expendable . As for the predicable' Oh so wary of Damascus ' & its likley just twist not Damascus at all . Nothing wrong with Twist barrels either . For someone who has researched the gunmaker its astounding your thinking like a prize Bubba vandal . Felt wad has restored complete wrecks he knows what he's talking about , I've known him many years & recently visited him. If you want your desired ' Combo' buy a Petersoli . future gun collectors might curse you but I doubt it .
Rudyard

 

[Gene Williams]

Thanks, I didn't feel comfortable about starting out my gunsmithing by unscrewing 170 year old breech plugs so I sent the barrels out for inspection. I've asked the gunsmith to take pictures of what he does with the gun. Still learning. Will post the pictures if possible.

 

[Rudyard]

Dear Mr Wiliams . Hopefully he is a ML gunsmith . Moderns usually have no idea . All It really needed was maybe a carefully oiled fine steel wool and a turks head to see if the bores ok, It should feel smooth with a rag on the cleaning rod Jag and if you've caps that size & its clear that useually is enough . The double loads in a tyre idea might work but might smash the stock in the process. Other than the muzzle damage the gun looks in tidy order and certainly appears a quality piece . I cant speak for you but I wouldnt worry unduly as to its safety .Given that old nipples seldom equate to the modern US made number 11 cap and the threads as like as not will be different If you are stuck for the right threads I have some nipples made to suit most old English guns if mostly for the 26 cap rather than the number 11 .whether the number 26 is still made I know not since I don't use many caps .I have three E M Rielly guns and had a forth Two bore Birmingham proof so just retailed , But two have the London marks if there of interest for your study I will convey the details to you PMed Regards Rudyard

 

[Gene Williams]

Many thanks Mr. Kipling. I have I think written the modern definitive short-history of Reilly. Diggory Hadoke is publishing part of it. The more complete short version can be read here on Doublegunshop.com.
http://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=436538&page=33
However, at some point I'll write it all up for an on-line publication.

Here is a post 1881 Reilly muzzle loader sold in New Zealand - SN unfortunately not published - showing Reilly continued to build what people wanted to buy at that time. - if it only had "Paris" on the rib (and not rue Scribe) then it probably could be dated post July 1885 (I wrote to the auction house trying to get the SN - records had been destroyed).



I would very much like to have the information on your Reilly guns....Serial number, name on the rib or barrels, any patents visible. I believe I can then date them within a few months...depending on the age..and it would help further define Reilly...an enigmatic gun maker whom I think I've been able to bring out of the shadows. 1855-1905 date periods will be pretty precise due to the number of guns still existing.

I have asked my friend to look at 5512. If he is not confident it can be shot, he'll return it to me. I'll consult with the board then on what can be done to get it back in the field. It is a historic gun. It has both addresses, "316 High Holborn now 502 New Oxford" which is about as definitive a date marker as one can get from that age (even if the SN is quixotic), and I want to save it (and I'm not a collector).

Nipple threads are something I'm not familiar with. I am familiar with "BSF" from my 1960's-70's days of working on BSA and Triumph motorcycles (we called it "British Strip Fine") and I still have my Whitworth motorcycle tools from that era. But before doing anything, I'll await the first report.

By the way I've discussed this gun with former Purdey gun mechanic David Trevaillon up in Maine who has given me some advice on working on the stock. It's a neat gun and I will save it if at all possible.

Me just after Vietnam with my BSA DBD-34 1954 BSA 500 single flat tracker.

 

[Rudyard]

Dear Mr Williams You appear to be taking good council . I at first thought you where contemplateing horrors for the old gun .I've looked at some of your articles & can see you are a proper' Student of Arms' I will happily PM you all the details of the pieces I own of Reillys .I have allways supported authors such as your self believing that it all helps us to understand the subject '.Student of Arms' is what De Witt Baileys letter heads stated modestly stating that the more you know the more there is to know and no one could ever truly claim to be' expert' , The field( Any Field ) being too vast .. A local man used to work for BSA he designed the BSA' Snipe ' John Woodrow hes retired now 84 or so he knew Dave Monk who also worked for BSA. Nipples might be 1/4" BSF probably for no 26 cap but you can reduce them .
Regards Rudyard

 

[Feltwad]

I find it alarming to read the casual way owners regard original guns as expendable to their ignorant whims .The gun is a piece of history. We are mere custodians of them our personal whims have no relevance . Because it came cheap you cant consider it unimportant & expendable . As for the predicable' Oh so wary of Damascus ' & its likley just twist not Damascus at all . Nothing wrong with Twist barrels either . For someone who has researched the gunmaker its astounding your thinking like a prize Bubba vandal . Felt wad has restored complete wrecks he knows what he's talking about , I've known him many years & recently visited him. If you want your desired ' Combo' buy a Petersoli . future gun collectors might curse you but I doubt it .
Rudyard

Hope you still OK since he last time we met true with what you say about a guns condition the thing that gets me is when they alter the history of the gun for personal gain {We hold them in trust for those that come after ]
Feltwad

 

[Rudyard]

Dear Feltwad I was rough on what seemed to be a horrible abuse of what looked a fine old gun .' We have it in trust' Same as George the Fifth use to be quoted in Shooting Times . I wondered if Ide get a adverse response BUT it turns out he took heed wasn't up set and sought good advice . We are now on great terms I supplied him with info on E M Reilly Ive got three & had a forth two PF on Snider & A' Best' Duck gun PF he is a serious researcher & not the idiot' Bubba' we too often suffer . So were PM ing each other merrely .You allways talk sence and know what your talking about , Regards Rudyard

 

[Gene Williams]

I've had an excellent chat with Maurice on Reilly's he's owned in the past. No records for Reilly exist; and everything written about the firm over the past 25 years turned out to be wrong. This was posted on doublegunshop.com and was edited and just published by Diggory. http://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=552172#Post552172

The essence of the line is the date chart for Reilly serial numbers. It's worth a look. I'll try to post it here since it may help somebody with their gun but it's long:

 

[Gene Williams]

=================================== SN Date Chart ===========================================

Year. . . . . . . . . . . .Serial Numbers. . . . . . . # of SN’d guns made in 1 year
. . . Black-Main Chronology; Blue: JC “7000” series. . . . . . .*Marker footnotes. **Sanity checks

1825: . . . 01 - . . 20. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20. .*1
1826: . . . 21 - . . 50. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
1827: . . . 51 - . .110 - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
1828: . . 111 - . .200 - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
1829: . . 201 - . .300. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100
1830: . . 301 - . .400. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100
1831: . . 401 - . .510. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110
1832: . . 511 - . .640. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .130
1833: . . 641 - . .870. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .130
1834: . . 871 - .1000. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
1835: ..1001 - .1130. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130. .*2
1836: ..1131 - .1280. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
1837: ..1281 - .1430. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
1838: ..1431 - .1500. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
1839: ..1501 - .1700. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
1840: ..1701 - .1920. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
1841: ..1921 - .2160. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
1842: ..2161 - .2400. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
1843: ..2401 - .2640. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
1844: ..2641 - .2880. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
1845: ..2881 - .3120. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
1846: ..3121 - .3360. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
1847: ..3361 - .3400. + 7000 - 7070. + 8400 - 8500 - . . . . .240. .*3,*4,*5,*6
1848: ..8501 - .8680. + 7071 - 7170. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
1849: ..8681 - .8860. + 7171 - 7270. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
1850: ..8861 - .9040. + 7271 - 7370. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
1851: ..9041 - .9220. + 7371 - 7470. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
1852: ..9221 - .9400. + 7471 - 7570. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
1853: ..9401 - .9580. + 7571 - 7670. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
1854: ..9581 - .9760. + 7671 - 7770. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
1855: ..9761 - .9940. + 7771 - 7770. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
1856: ..9941- 10220. + 7870 - 7970. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 380. . . . .**1. Overdone by orders after Paris
1857: 10221 - 10530. + 7971 - 8060. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 400. .*7
1858: 10531 - 10930. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 400. . . . .**2. 10782
1859: 10931 - 11340. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 430. .*8. .**3. 11227
1860: 11341 - 11770. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 430
1861: 11771 - 12210. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 430. . . . .**4. 11716
1862: 12211 - 12740. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 430. . . . .**5. 12532
1863: 12741 - 13170. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 430
1864: 13171 - 13600. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 430. . . . .**6. 13333
1865: 13601 - 14030. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 430
1866: 14031 - 14460. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 430
1867: 14461 - 14910. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 450

 

[Gene Williams]

1868: 14911 - 15510. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 600. .*9
1869: 15511 - 16110. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 600
1870: 16111 - 16710. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 600
1871: 16711 - 17310. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 600
1872: 17311 - 17910. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 600. . . . .**7. 17314
1873: 17911 - 18510. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 600
1874: 18511 - 19140. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 630
1875: 19141 - 19780. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 640. . . . .**8. 19286
1876: 19781 - 20430. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 650
1877: 20431 - 21080. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 650
1878: 21081 - 21730. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 650
1879: 21731 - 22380. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 650
1880: 22381 - 22930. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 650
1881: 22931 - 23630. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800. .*10. .**9. 23536
1882: 23631 - 24680. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1050
1883: 24681 - 25730. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1050
1884: 25731 - 26780. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1050
1885: 26781 - 27820. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1040. .*11
1886: 27821 - 28720. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 900
1887: 28721 - 29520. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800
1888: 29521 - 30300. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 780
1889: 30301 - 31000. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 700
1890: 31001 - 31650. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 650
1891: 31651 - 32100. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 550
1892: 32101 - 32600. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 500
1893: 32601 - 33000. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 400
1894: 33001 - 33400. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 400
1895: 33401 - 33800. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 400
1896: 33801 - 34200. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 400
1897: 34201 - 34550. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 350
1898: 34551 - 34820. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270. .*12
1899: 34821 - 34960. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
1900: 34961 - 35090. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
1901: 35091 - 35210. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
1902: 35211 - 35320. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
1903: 35321 - 35420. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100. .*13
1904: 35421 - 35460. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
1905: 35461 - 35500. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
1906: 35401 - 35535. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
1907: 35536 - 35565. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
1908: 35566 - 35595. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
1909: 35596 - 35625. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
1910: 35626 - 35655. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
1911: 35656 - 35685. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
1912: 35686 - 35700. - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15. .*14

Post Aug 1922 - ? 130000 - 150000. - . . . . . . . . . . . .20,000?. . *15

 

[Gene Williams]

*1 - 1825 Reilly allegedly joined the London Proof House; This date is chosen as the start date for Reilly making guns though it could well have been earlier. Likewise, 001 is chosen as the number of the first gun though it could have been "100." 1st extant SN'd gun is 162. Address was 12 Middle Row; Address on ribs is "Holborn Bars."
*2 - Late Aug 1835 Reilly moved to 315 High Holborn; 1st SN'd gun with High Holborn is 1024
*3 - Late March 1847 Reilly moved to 502 New Oxford Street. Main line SN series bumped up 5000 numbers; 1st SN'd gun with 502 along with "removed from Holborn" is 8463.
*4 - Last SN with High Holborn on the rib is 3392.
*5 - Concurrently JC Reilly appears to have kept a hoard of numbers for his own use beginning around 7000. First JC Reilly 7000 series with 502 Oxford is 7201 which also has "removed from Holborn".
*6 - SN 7051 exists (with JC Reilly on the rib) but with the High Holborn address. This may indicate the company split the numbering system shortly before the move to 502 New Oxford Street.
*7 - 1857, Sept: JC retired; the last extant SN in the JC Reilly "7000" series (with "Veni, Vidi, Vici" on the rib) is 8052.
*8 - 315 Oxford Street opened mid-January 1859. However, the company name did not change to E.M. Reilly & Co. until possibly as late as October 1859; 1st extant SN'd gun with EM Reilly on the rib is 11227.
*9 - mid Feb 1868 Reilly opened 2 rue Scribe Paris; 1st extant SN'd gun with rue Scribe on the rib is 14983.
*10 - Nov 1881 Oxford Street was renumbered; 1st extant Reilly with 277 Oxford street (or 16 New Oxford St.) on the rib is 23536.
*11 - July 1885 Reilly closed rue Scribe; last extant Reilly with "rue Scribe" on the rib is 27340. *(Note: There are 3 later guns SN 27533, 27570 and 27854 with "Paris" on their barrels. Two have Whitworth steel barrels. I've chosen not to use these as the end marker for rue Scribe, at least not yet; Reilly at this time was selling both off-the-rack/ready-made guns and bespoke guns made-to-order and I believe these may have been already engraved and sitting in the shop, but not numbered until sold. This is a subjective judgement of course. Additional serial numbers may change this.)

 

[Gene Williams]

*12 - 1898 Reilly closed 16 (502) New Oxford Street. Last extant SN'd gun with 16 New Oxford Street on the rib is 34723
*13 - 1903 Reilly moved from 277 Oxford St. to 295 Oxford st. First extant gun with 295 on the rib is 35422
*14 - June 8, 1912 Reilly declared bankruptcy. Last extant SN'd gun is 35678. Bert Reilly subsequently opened a small gun shop at 13 High Street, Marylebone as "E.M Reilly & Co.", which lasted to about 1921; no guns with this address on ribs have been found, no advertisements for it exist.
*15 - in August 1922 (date confirmed-per newspaper advertisements) the Reilly name was bought by Charles Riggs. The name/address on the ribs was "EM Reilly, London." Riggs' had historical connections to BSA - however, some believe his guns were built by Osborn/Midland. The serial numbers became 6 digits apparently beginning around 130000 - The first extant Riggs-Reilly so far found is 134183; the last is 150570. How many of these "Reilly" guns Riggs were produced or how Rigg's numbering system actually worked is not clear.

 

[Gene Williams]

. Sanity Checks:
**1. After his triumph at Paris in 1855 he was "overdone by orders." The increase in production by 100 guns for 1856 reflects this.
**2. 10782 - He began selling Prince Patent breech loaders soon after the Patent, probably as early as 1857. The first Reilly extant Prince Patent is 10782, dated 1858 on the chart - within margin of error.
**3. 11227 - Reilly began using E.M. Reilly in Sep-Oct 1859. 11227 is the first extant gun with EM Reilly on the gun rib and would be dated in Autumn 1859 per the chart.
**4. 11716 - Reilly .577 Enfield given as a prize Christmas 1861 per an inscription on the gun; it was certainly numbered in late November, early December 1861.
**5. 12532 - In 1862 the London Exposition ran from late May to September. His exhibit included a gold washed shotgun, much commented on which may still exist. If this is the exposition gun the chart has it being numbered a little late in the year...about July rather than May meaning he may have made 30 or 40 fewer guns in 1860 and 1861 than postulated.
**6. 13333 - Reilly obtain manufacturing rights to the Green Bros Breech loader and per a post on this board began to manufacture them about Apr-May 1864. This gun was number 23...The chart has it being numbered about May 1864.
**7. 17314 - The Martini-Henry was formally adopted (though still being trialed) in summer 1871. The first Reilly advertisement for Martini-Henry's appeared in November 1871. The chart has 17314 being numbered in early Jan 1872.
**8. 19286. The below comment about 19286 was posted on a knowledgeable UK board. The chart has 19286 as being numbered in early 1875 - at the time the UK board was still struggling with the wide-spread disinformation that Reilly had closed rue Scribe in 1872:
. . . . . . ."Your gun was a nominal 10 bore but actually measured 11 bore. Lovely damascus barrels bearing the crown over V London View Mark (1637-1954) for preliminary inspection, the crown over bar over GP Provisional Proof Mark (1813-date) to reveal faults before any expensive work was done on the barrels, and the crown over GP London Definitive Proof Mark (1637 to date), all these adding up to Black Powder Proof. The barrel flats have two of these original marks as expected.
. . . . . . ."The action flats have the expected View mark, and they have the H Walker patent mark for his barrel bolting and safety for drop-down actions patent No 455 of 12 February 1872 ( Use No. 1098 ) .
. . . . . . ."Of equal importance to the marks are the ones that don't appear e.g. no NOT FOR BALL or CHOKE mark (so see what patterns it throws with various cartridges). The first of these was introduced in 1875, so this and the patent date mean the gun was made definitely not before Feb 72, or after 1875.
. . . . . . ."It must have been made a couple of years after 1872, say 1874 to early 1875, and we favour the latter because even if the gun was made by a large trade maker, the 1098 use number is quite a large number."
**9. 23536. Oxford Street was renumbered in November 1881. 23536 is the first extant gun with the new numbers on the rib. The chart would place it in mid- November 1881.

 

[Gene Williams]

My gunsmith has looked over the Reilly and here's his initial report:

-- He lifted the dint out of the left muzzle

-- The gun has been used a lot and the barrels honed along the way. They remain thick at .040"+ and in most places over .045". Some pitting remains but can not tell how bad it is without some further inspection. The barrels now measure around .710" in diameter, about 13 bore.

-- The left hammer is very loose. (see the pin which has been inserted into the screw for some reason)


-- The nipples may be original to the gun, they are firmly rusted in place. They may need to be machined out.


-- The breech plugs look like they have been removed in the not to distant past. I can see if the breech plugs will come out with out too much trouble. If so I can get a better view to the tubes. If they do not it may be be best test it with light loads and see if the nipples will work as is.

-- The repair on the wood under the barrels is leather.....very odd. (here is the close up - I thought it was cloth put over a break or something):


I've asked him to fix the hammer; check the barrel further - see if the plugs will come out; and test fire it. If it can be used with the current nipples, will leave them as is...if not, machine them out. I've asked that he leave the stock alone - I'll deal with that later unless that "leather repair" impinges on the safety of the gun. Any suggestions from the board?

 

[52Bore]

That is NOT a pin inserted to the left hammer screw - that is original. That is a nut screwed onto the tumbler axel that was threaded for such. Common British application on Target sights, threaded shafts, etc..
Nipples will come out, most likely.

 

[Gene Williams]

Thanks. Curious as to why the right hammer has no pin and the screw is engraved? Still learning. I've asked for pictures from the gunsmith.

 

[Feltwad]

What has happened with the left hand hammer screw is it is either snapped off or been lost and replaced with a 6ba or 4ba bolt screw thread.The head which is separate to the screw thread is turned in a lathe taped to the required thread a screw slot was cut and a split driver is used to tighten ,this was a early type of hammer fitting and one I use regular on this type of repair .
Feltwad

 

[Feltwad]

Early Hammer Screw
Feltwad
Nocks Patent

Hammer screw on a tubelock hammer