English Sporting Rifle by Harvey

[ResearchPress]

An English sporting rifle by Harvey of Exeter and Plymouth. The overall length of the rifle is 41”, with a barrel of 25.5” including breech plug. Bore size is about .52”, with 7 wide grooves and narrow lands. The rifle has a single set trigger, leaf rearsight and an ivory or bone foresight dovetailed into the barrel. John Harvey established his business in Exeter c1790. His son, also John, was established in Plymouth c1830; he died in 1842 aged 38 and by 1850 the Plymouth premises had closed. John Harvey (senior) passed away on 4th April 1850, aged 84. By this time he had given his second son, William James Harvey, all of his tools as a gunsmith. William continued the business under his own name and died in 1873, aged 67. The Executors for William’s estate disposed of the business to Arthur Agnew. Trading under the name Agnew & Son, and as late as 1883 their newspaper advertising still referred to ‘Late W.J. Harvey’; a reflection perhaps of the esteem with which the original business had come to be regarded that it remained worthwhile retaining the link with their predecessor. The rifle bears Plymouth on the lock and likely dates from the 1840s.

David

 

[Artificer]

An English sporting rifle by Harvey of Exeter and Plymouth. The overall length of the rifle is 41”, with a barrel of 25.5” including breech plug. Bore size is about .52”, with 7 wide grooves and narrow lands. The rifle has a single set trigger, leaf rearsight and an ivory or bone foresight dovetailed into the barrel. John Harvey established his business in Exeter c1790. His son, also John, was established in Plymouth c1830; he died in 1842 aged 38 and by 1850 the Plymouth premises had closed. John Harvey (senior) passed away on 4th April 1850, aged 84. By this time he had given his second son, William James Harvey, all of his tools as a gunsmith. William continued the business under his own name and died in 1873, aged 67. The Executors for William’s estate disposed of the business to Arthur Agnew. Trading under the name Agnew & Son, and as late as 1883 their newspaper advertising still referred to ‘Late W.J. Harvey’; a reflection perhaps of the esteem with which the original business had come to be regarded that it remained worthwhile retaining the link with their predecessor. The rifle bears Plymouth on the lock and likely dates from the 1840s.

View attachment 177615

David

Would that rifle have been made primarily for the India and African Sporting trades?

Gus

 

[SciAggie]

What a nice rifle.

 

[lexington1]

It is a dandy! Very nice.

 

[Eterry]

Would that rifle have been made primarily for the India and African Sporting trades?

Gus

I'm far from an expert here, but most rifles bound for the Dark Continent were of MUCH larger bore, 16 is the smallest I've seen mentioned in books of the period. Most were larger than 12 bore, both smooth and rifled.

 

[fleener]

David

Nice rifle. Is it yours?

Fleener

 

[Artificer]

I'm far from an expert here, but most rifles bound for the Dark Continent were of MUCH larger bore, 16 is the smallest I've seen mentioned in books of the period. Most were larger than 12 bore, both smooth and rifled.

While I agree what we would call dangerous game rifles during the period were much larger bore, there plenty of game animals this rifle could easily take in Africa.

Gus

 

[Stykbow]

One thing that I really like about the English sporting rifles is the checkering. The lines of the guns are pleasing to the eye on their own, but the checkering really sets them off. This is a beautiful rifle in all regards.

 

[ResearchPress]

Would that rifle have been made primarily for the India and African Sporting trades?

I’d have thought more likely small game in the UK - perhaps on country estates. It is a small rifle.

David

 

[ResearchPress]

Nice rifle. Is it yours?

Yes. Had it quite a few years now - I like the English sporting rifles. I’ll dig out pictures of its ‘big brother’ that fires a belted ball.

David

 

[rickystl]

Great looking gun and history. Looks like it's still in shooting order today. Agree with Styk on the checkering. The English seem to have brought that to a fine art.

Rick

 

[Feltwad]

Great looking gun and history. Looks like it's still in shooting order today. Agree with Styk on the checkering. The English seem to have brought that to a fine art.

Rick

English checkering is mostly 20 and 22 lines to the inch and what is known has flat top which was carried through from the flintlock period of 1810 to the present day. The early flintlocks were mostly 20 lines, and some were 18 and had a dimple in each flat top diamond
Feltwad

 

[Rudyard]

All Good Ide say Deer size probably .The two grouve bring it on I like my 'got up' from a ruststreak 24 bore two grouve & it has bowled a few deer & seen a lot of Bush miles down here in NZ. Jeff Tanner made the belted ball I made a two winged conical but the Balls better I found
Regards Rudyard

 

[SciAggie]

What sort of twist is the barrel? Is this for round balls?

 

[Feltwad]

Enclosed are images of a Park Rifle that shoots a belted ball
Feltwad

 

[Rudyard]

What sort of twist is the barrel? Is this for round balls?

If you mean my rifle its 1 in 60'' s Rudyard

 

[jimhallam]

Would that rifle have been made primarily for the India and African Sporting trades?

Gus

No ---
firstly not MAN enough for that job -- can't say that anymore if you live in CA:
It isalmost certainly a Deer Park rifle for SCOTLAND, as it is large enough for stag.
0.52" calibre is about 32-bore.

I am thinning out out but have kept a few of the more "interesting" revoloveing rifles.

The largest is a cased 16-bore ;-) pic attached

Deer Parks in many "English Country Houses" normally had smaller deer -- - and it was only later that the Chinese Water Deer and Muntjac started to appear. I would suggest that "English" park rifles would tend to be something like 54-bore (about .44cal) or 80bore (about .38cal).
They are normally Birmingham-made with a retailer's mark but there are a signicicant number of Top Quality rifles sold by Rigby, Harris Holland etc .... not necessarily made by them.
The largest - for STAG - is the 16bore Tranter
For standard "Park Deer" I have the 24bore Adams M1851 which was given to me by the late John Bell. See Plate 8 (upper) in Taylerson's "The Revolver 1818-1865".
I have a 54-bore DT Tranter retailed by Shaw (Birmingham).
I sold the smaller ones but kept the (uncased) 50bore Parker-Field mainly because I also have a cased revolver on the same system.
Smaller bore Park Rifles are generally those "unmentionables" made later, but I have seen an approx. 120bore (.about 30cal) Whitworth. The owner is VERY stubborn ;-)))

 

[Relic shooter]

Very nice quality big game rifle.
If bore is good they shoot well once you get a belted mold made.
relic shooter

 

[Okie Hog]

Mr. Harvey built a beautiful rifle.

 

[Relic shooter]

Attention Forum Moderators
Some beautiful vintage firearms showing up on this link !
Nice to see so many on this forum who also collect & shoot original antique firearms & would like to have an Antique Firearms category.

Many of us collect & shoot so many early black powder ignition variations available that include flintlock, percussion, cap & ball revolvers, paper cartridges for both pistols, rifles & muskets.
Perhaps we can agree that the proposed Original Antique Firearms category be restricted to black powder firearms manufactured prior to 1880 & that do not fire any fixed-cased ammunition containing a primer, powder & projectile ?
relic shooter