W.W. Greener .775 Nitro Express Custom Double Rifle
Description:
One-Off, completely unique custom-built Nitro Express Masterpiece.
My father acquired the original Greener 10 bore shotgun (Ser.No. 20986) from Bonhams of London (in the early 2000's) built in the late 1890`s as an exhibition sample for the Canadian Exposition.
A nationally renowned gunsmith himself, he used his connections to contact Peter Hambrusch of Ferlach, Austria (An internationally renowned double rifle mastergunsmith) to build him a `Maximum` double rifle for Africa on the Greener Triple-Wedgefast action, which is universally acknowledged as one of the strongest double rifle/ shotguns ever made.
Hambrusch had been working a .775 N.E sidelock on the bench to the order of a very well-known client. That order was duly completed at a cost to the client of 67,000 pounds (approx $100,000), leaving a spare pair of .775 N.E. barrels from a pair of rifles initially contracted but then reduced to `One of a Kind`, due to cost.
Peter sized the remaining barrel-set to my action & reported " I can build you a stronger rifle than the Rigby, but as a boxlock, & without ejectors, probably the the ultimate dangerous game Stopper".
My father actually had the rifle built especially for a Buffalo Hunt he had agreed with Legendary Zimbabwean Pro Hunter Gordon Cormack, however shortly after the Double rifle was completed, Gordon passed away and the hunt never materialized. Now there is a unique opportunity to purchase this truly remarkable Double-Rifle.
The Shotgun barrels are high quality Greener `Wrought-steel` tubes Full & Half choke borings, re-chambered by Hambrusch from 3" to 3.5" chambers to carry modern loads then re-proofed max pressures, damascus browned finish but finest forged steel, bores are immaculate, handling is well balanced to gun, perfectly good enough for anything from Bush-pig to Leopard on wholesome American loads.
.775 NE Specification
- Paired `Laufstahl`, heavy guage premium tubes in monobloc to blended & fitted action.
- Micro-grooved barrel-twist 1in 67, lazer pre-regulated & soldered to ribs with extended muzzle wedge-pieces to fine regulate on firing to load required, which was achieved in 24 rounds off the bench with requisite de & re-soldering of wedges in adjustment.
- NEI-USA made the custom bullet mould to 1140 grains, but my father later had it machined down to throw a 940 grain head for closer accuracy for the `pair` 75 yards (2" pair OTB, for weighed/matched heads, no lateral or vertical dispersal), the 1140 grain threw a 4" pair which is very acceptable for a guaranteed kill on the `Herd` but not impressive on paper. (940gn (nominally 936 gn fully matched) cast lead hardened head, Myers turned one-piece cases, CCI 209M primers, 60-62grains Blue Dot powder, foam over-powder wads, minimal crimp to neck, produces 1.5 - 2" pair 75yds, 1280-1305 fps, 5000ft lbs energy, represents 10 points higher than the .460 Wetherby Mag. on the Taylor `knock-down` scale. But much dependant on close head matching & weighed powder charge.
The accessories comprise; Full Leather case, cleaning rod and heads, NEI custom mould, 6 piece Jim Goodwin custom die-set, both made to the slugged bore size, wad-cutting punch, 10 Myers `Everlasting` cases, quantity of Kynoch two-piece period cases (not terribly accurate), all of the latter will require a Rock-Chucker magnum press, also theres a copy of Greener`s "The Gun & it`s Development" to add some flavour of that Gentleman`s contribution in 200 years of the taking of African & Indian indigenous dangerous Game at smelly-breath quarters.
SOLD
Caliber Info:
.775 NE
Chambers:
3.5
Condition:
Very Good
Metal Condition:
Very Good
Wood Condition:
Very Good
Bore Condition:
Excellent