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George Gibbs 12-Bore Sidelock | Gibbs & Pitt Patent Lever-Cocking | 30" Nitro Barrels | 1886 Direct Ship
Guns International #: 103186117 Seller's Inventory #:
Category: Shotguns - English Double - Shotguns - English Double Antique
Seller's Information
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Seller: BritishDoubles
Company: British Doubles
Member Since: 5/26/24
First Name: John
State: North Carolina
Zip: 27701
Country: United States
Phone: (919) 907-0925
Seller: FFL Dealer
Return Policy: 3 day inspection and return policy on used guns.
Free standard shipping with free returns
Payment Types Accepted: Credit Card, Check
About Us: At British Doubles, our mission is to provide upland hunters and collectors with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions when buying and selling vintage English sporting arms. British Doubles aims to ensure the process is both transparent and enjoyable, so you can collect with confidence and trust.
Description:
A fine and mechanically significant George Gibbs 12 bore sidelock non-ejector, built in 1886 by this renowned Bristol firm. According to Gibbs records, guns without a letter prefix in the serial number—as this example is—were best grade guns made entirely by Gibbs, while those with a prefix were generally produced by the trade and finished by the firm.
This gun is built on the Gibbs & Pitt patent No. 284 of 1873 (use number 410), a remarkable lever-cocking hammerless design that directly followed Theophilus Murcott’s pioneering “Mousetrap” patent of 1871—the first truly practical hammerless shotgun. Unlike modern break-action designs where the movement of the barrels cocks the locks, this innovative action cocks the locks via the operating lever itself—offering a compelling glimpse into the evolution of hammerless technology.
This example features 30" fluid steel barrels, Nitro proofed for 1 1/8oz, with excellent wall thickness for its vintage. It is fitted with an automatic side-lever safety adorned with gold-inlaid ‘BOLTED’ detail, and the action is beautifully finished with full coverage fine acanthus scroll engraving interspersed with central floral bouquets, all of which remains crisp and well-defined. Mechanically, the gun is excellent and without fault; the barrels are clean and ring clear, and the distinctive safety lever adds an extra measure of charm to this already remarkable piece.
George Gibbs is best remembered alongside Rigby and Jefferies as one of England’s foremost riflemakers, yet his shotguns display the same attention to detail and inventive design. This best-grade Gibbs blends elegant aesthetics with engineering that helped shape the hammerless shotguns we know today—a superb addition to any collection focused on the important milestones of British sporting arms.
Details:
Date of Manufacture: 1886
FFL Status: Antique
Ejector: No
Weight: 6lb 5oz
Barrel Type: Fluid Steel
Barrel Length: 30"
Chamber Length: 2 1/2"
Proof: NITRO 1 1/8oz .729
Bore Diameter:
Right: .734
Left: .734
Minimum Wall Thickness (Thou):
Right: 27
Left: 26
Choke:
Right: .025
Left: .035
Stock Dimensions
LOP: 14 1/8" to checkered butt
DOC: 1 3/4"
DOH: 2 3/16"
Cast: Neutral
Free standard shipping with free returns
Price: $3,300.00
Antique: Yes
Shotgun Gauge: 12 Gauge
Serial Number: 14104
Barrel Length: 30
Chambers: 2 1/2" (65mm)
Barrels: Fluid Steel
Stock Comb: 1 3/4
Stock Heel: 2 3/16
Stock Cast: neutral
LOP: 14 1/8
Weight: 6lb 5oz
Manufacture Date: 1886
Choke Left: .035
Choke Right: .025
Proof:Nitro: 1 1/8 oz .729
Minimum Wall Thickness Left: 26
Minimum Wall Thickness Right: 27