2165

LOVELY LITTLE 2" TWELVE GAUGE IMPERIAL

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:4,000.00 USD Estimated At:8,000.00 - 12,000.00 USD
LOVELY LITTLE 2  TWELVE GAUGE IMPERIAL

SIDELOCKEJECTOR SXS SHOTGUN BY CHURCHILL. Cal. 12 Ga., 2". S# 6728 (ca. 1960). The 25" dovetailed bbls. are gold inlaid. "2" CASE" & "XXV" on slightly raised matted Churchill rib. Tops of bbls. are engraved "Churchill Gunmakers" Ltd." & 7. Bury Street, St. James's, London, England." Bbls. flats are stamped w/ London nitro proofs for 2" chambers at 2 3/4 tons & .729". Bottoms of bbls. are engraved w/ S#'s. Case hardened sidelock action is stocked to the fences & features automatic safety (safe inlaid in gold). Safety button has 3/16" high raised thumb piece which is nicely checkered. Action is fitted w/ dbl. triggers. Action & locks are engraved w/ near full coverage, varying sized shaded scroll as usually found on Imperial quality Churchill guns. The lg. scroll on lock plates is particularly attractive. Bottom of action is gold inlaid w/ a crown & is engraved "IMPERIAL" above crown. Front portion of each lock plate is engraved "E.J. CHURCHILL". Blued top lever & trigger guard are engraved w/ matching scroll. S# is in scroll terminated ribbon on trigger guard tang. Lightly figured European walnut straight grip buttstock measures 14 3/4"over thin hand checkered horn buttplate. Nicely shaped drop points are behind locks. Point pattern checkering is at grip & a gold oval engraved "FJR" is on toeline. Matching splinter Southgate ejector forend has Anson release. BBLS: BORE DIA. left - .728", right - .728". RESTRICTIONS: left -.030" (I. Mod)., right - .012" (mod). MINIMUM WALL THICKNESS: left - .023", right - .022". STOCK: DAH: 2 1/4". DAC: 1 9/16". Cast approx. 1/2" off. WEIGHT: 5 lbs., 8 oz. UNATTACHED ACCESSORIES: original green canvas V.C. case w/ stitched leather corners is lined in bluish green cloth. A gold embossed black leather Churchill label is in lid. Case contains 2 piece oak & brass cleaning rod & a pair of "Cogswell & Harrison" marked snap caps. CONDITION: very fine as partially refinished. Bbls. retaining nearly all of a London quality reblack. Engraving remaining sharp & clear. Action & lock plates retain approx. 60% original case hardening color, quite strong where protected. Top lever, trigger guard & trigger plate appear to have been reblued & retain approx. 90% of that blue (engraving somewhat softened). Stocks retain nearly all of what is possibly their original oil finish but is most likely a best quality oil refinish w/ some minor marks. Checkering is lightly worn & does not appear to have been recut. Bores are bright & shiny w/ no visible imperfections. Action is tight. Bbls. are on face. Ejectors are strong & in time. Case is fine, some stains & rubs on exterior. Handle & interior cloth are good w/ some stains & soiling. Label & accessories are good. A light & lively sidelock gun. Most 2" guns are built on relatively inexpensive boxlock actions. 2" Sidelock guns are actually quite scarce. (22-2309/MGM). CURIO. $8,000-12,000.