MILITARY PRIZE RIFLE*1908-14 BSA Lincoln Jeffries Patent Improved Model D .177 Calibre Underlever Air Rifle Stock Mounted With Silver Presentation Shield Engraved ‘E Co 4th Royal Berks Regt Presented By A. Camp Esq Won By Pte T.W Greaves’. Sn 23605 air rifle .177

*MILITARY PRIZE RIFLE*1908-14 BSA Lincoln Jeffries Patent Improved Model D .177 Calibre Underlever Air Rifle Stock Mounted With Silver Presentation Shield Engraved ‘E Co 4th Royal Berks Regt Presented By A. Camp Esq Won By Pte T.W Greaves’. - 23605

This is a very good original BSA Improved Model D Air Rifle, a pre WW1 Royal Berkshire Regiment prize rifle. The 4th Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment was a Territorial Force unit headquartered at St Mary's Butts in Reading. Before the outbreak of the war, Territorial units were organized regionally by town or local district. E Company was specifically based out of Abingdon (historically part of Berkshire, now Oxfordshire), drawing its recruits locally from that town and the surrounding rural areas. These BSA rifles were made with both straight hand and pistol grip stocks and in different variations between 1908 and 1914 (see page 50 of the book of the BSA air rifle by John Milewski). This example has its original undamaged pistol grip stock with correct chequered panels on the grip. The stock has a steel butt plate and the shoulder stock is impressed with crisp BSA trademark. The underside of the shoulder stock is impressed ’13 ¼’ (length). The ‘Bayonet’ catch cocking arm is marked with Lincoln Jeffries patent information (illustrated). It has a 19 ½” rifled barrel and measures 42 ½” overall. It has a blade foresight, adjustable dial rear sight and additional flip up peep / aperture target sight. The metal work has some age faded blue finish remaining. The air cylinder has crisp BSA Improved Model D information (illustrated). The loading port tap has no visible patent markings. The left side of the trigger block bears the serial number 30389. The underside of the barrel has indistinct inspection marks (illustrated). The loading port area is marked ‘Load’ and has partially visible BSA’s pyled arms trademark. One side of the shoulder stock is mounted with Silver presentation shield engraved ‘E Co (Company) 4th Royal Berks (Berkshire) Regt (Regiment) Presented By A. Camp Esq (Esquire) Won By Pte (Private) T.W Greaves’. The rifle cocks, loads & fires as it should with a strong spring action. The price for this rifle worthy of further research regarding the Royal Berkshire connections includes UK delivery. Sn 23605

£895.00