2150

.577 NITRO BOXLOCK DOUBLE RIFLE MADE BY JOHN

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:5,000.00 USD Estimated At:10,000.00 - 15,000.00 USD
.577 NITRO BOXLOCK DOUBLE RIFLE MADE BY JOHN

HARPER & RETAILED BY P. ORR OF INDIA, ONCE BELONGING TO NOTED KENYA PROFESSIONAL HUNTER BRYAN COLEMAN WITH PROVENANCE & CASE. Cal. 577, 3" NE. S# 1420. Bryan Coleman who after WWII started working in Africa for the Kenya police relates the history of this rifle in a letter to a new owner which is copied in the "Double Gun Journal Index & Reader Vol. 1". In the letter, he states that he saved the rifle from being destroyed when it was turned in following the Mau Mau uprising. He became a professional hunter & carried the rifle for hundreds of miles & it saved his life on a number of occasions. He also relates that he used the rifle to hold down the head of a large puff adder & while attempting to decapitate the adder, he took a big chunk out of the stock with his panga. This rifle has 26" chopperlump bbls. fitted w/ matted top rib. Center portion is low, forming quarter rib holding one standing, two folding leaf express rear sight & front ramp w/ silver bead. Tops of bbls. engraved "MADE BY" "John Harper" "FOR," "P. Orr & Sons. Ltd. Madras & Rangoon." (luxury goods store operating in Madras & Rangoon from 1846 - 1967) on right. ".577 Cartridge 3" Case" is on left. Bbl. flats stamped w/ Birmingham nitro proofs for .577 express, 90 grains of cordite & 650 grain bullet. Coin finished boxlock action features automatic safety ("SAFE" inlaid in gold), pivoting third fastener which engages doll's head bbl. extension, bushed strikers & double triggers, front "loose" to minimize finger damage under recoil. Action engraved w/ 80% coverage well cut, shaded, varying sized scroll. Sides of action engraved "P. Orr & Sons. Ltd.", and scroll surrounds game scenes depicting members of the big five w/ elephant in tall grass on left & lion also in grass on right. Blued top lever, trigger plate, floorplate & trigger guard are engraved w/ matching scroll. A Bengal tiger is depicted on front of floorplate as well as on trigger guard bow. Serial number is on trigger guard tang, which extends to steel grip cap. Capped pistol grip buttstock of dense, lightly streaked & figured European walnut measures 15 3/4" over "Silver" type pad. Closely spaced point pattern checkering is at grip & a sling eye matching that on bottom of bbls. along w/ a vacant silver oval are on toeline. Matching splinter forend has Anson release. MEASUREMENTS: stock: DAH: approx. 2 5/8". DAC: approx. 2". LOP: 15 3/4". CAST: approx. 1/4" off. WEIGHT: 12 lb. 12 oz. UNATTACHED ACCESSORIES: copy of "Double Gun Journal Reader Index" w/ letter; Paperback copy of "The End of the Game" by Peter Beard, where photographs of Bryan Coleman appear 3 times, once w/ 3 lions, another w/ him on horseback as well as a full page photo w/ downed buffalo. In this photo Coleman is shown holding this particular rifle; a copy of "White Hunters" by Brian Herne where Bryan Coleman is mentioned on numerous occasions; a group of photocopies w/ information regarding Mr. Coleman & information on P. Orr & Sons. Email from Mims Reed w/ information regarding the history of this rifle after its sale by Bryan Coleman. Also accompanying rifle is a tan leather case w/ brass corners lined in burgundy cloth w/ "Hunting World" label in lid. CONDITION: good as restored. Bbls. retaining nearly all of a good quality rust reblue. Engraving recut. Action is cleaned to coin finish, engraving remains clear although not sharp. Stocks w/ old oil refinish. Checkering recut. Pad is relatively new. A well matching piece of walnut has been dovetailed into comb, repairing previously noted panga cut. Bores are very good to fine w/ sharp rifling throughout. Both bores exhibit some minor frosting, mostly toward breech ends, most prevalent in right bbl. Action is tight. Bbls. are on face. Mechanically good. Case is very close to new. (21-4457/MGM). CURIO. $10,000-15,000.