EXTREMELY RARE**QUALITY**C1840 English Conway (Manchester Or Stockport Cheshire) Beever’s Oval / Elliptical Bore 1825 Patent, 10 / 18 Bore, Double Barrel Side By Side Percussion Shotgun With Damascus Steel Barrels. Sn 23007 Side By Side 10 Bore/gauge

**EXTREMELY RARE**QUALITY**C1840 English Conway (Manchester Or Stockport Cheshire) Beever’s Oval / Elliptical Bore 1825 Patent, 10 / 18 Bore, Double Barrel Side By Side Percussion Shotgun With Damascus Steel Barrels. Sn 23007 - 23007

An Extremely rare Beever's 1825 Patent oval or elliptical bore percussion double-barrelled shotgun by Conway (either Thomas Conway, an English Gunsmith with premises in Manchester at 179 Chapel Street, 3 Market Street & 43 Blackfriars Street, Deansgate between 1803-1852 or Samuel Conway, an English Cheshire based Gunsmith. In 1840 he is recorded as having premises at 4 Middle Hillgate Stockport. See page 196 of Brown’s book British Gunmakers Vol 2). See page 70 Abridgments of the Patent Specifications relating to Firearms and other Weapons Ammunition & Accoutrements 1588-1858 for the December 3rd 1825 patent of this gun, No.5305 which reads “BEEVER, John. — An improved gun-barrel. The barrel is made of an oval, elliptical, or other similar form, in order to give a more effective range to the charge of shot. The barrel is heated and put “upon a mandril of the required form,” and by preference an oval prism having the conjugate equal to two-thirds of the transverse diameter. The barrel is beaten upon the mandril into the required form” (a copy of the entry is illustrated in the images). The quality made gun has 28” Damascus steel barrels 10 bore if measured horizontally or 18 bore if measured vertically, designed to produce a fan of shot ideal for shooting rabbits. The gun measures 44” overall length. The barrel’s bores have just light staining consistent with age & use. The barrels, set side by side, have a central flat top barrel rib with bead fore sight. The underside of each barrel beneath the wood have English black powder proofs. It has a gold washed 'Beevers Patent' inlaid cartouche at the breech. It's original walnut stock with chequered panels at the fore stock and wrist is excellent. It has a steel butt plate with extended tang and the top of the wrist is inlaid with a void Silver escutcheon. The fore stock also has Silver fittings. The metal work has nice foliage engraving to the, breach tang, Dolphin hammers, butt plate tang and steel trigger guard with extended tang and Pineapple finial. The action plates are both engraved by the manufacturer 'Conway' & with rabbits and acanthus leaves. The right side of the stock has a purpose designed notch near to the edge of the action plate for insertion of a tool to lever off the plate for inspection or repair. It has double triggers and the weapon cocks & dry fires crisply. The shotgun has it's original ebonised wood ram rod with oval cap and screw off tip which reveals a steel worm. The price for this extremely rare, quality made English shotgun includes UK delivery. NB As an antique percussion shotgun no licence is required to own this item in the UK if retained as part of a collection or display. Sn 23007

£975.00