2102

VERY FINE R. SMEETS GRA ENGRAVED LEBEAU-COURALLY

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:5,000.00 USD Estimated At:10,000.00 - 15,000.00 USD
VERY FINE R. SMEETS GRA ENGRAVED LEBEAU-COURALLY

ROUND BODY SIDELOCK 2 GA. SET GAME GUN. Cal. 16 Ga. 2-2/4’’ & 20 Ga. 2-3/4’’. S# 44291. Lebeau-Courally of Liege, Belgium is a maker of finest quality bespoke guns. Rounded body hand detachable sidelock action with case colored finish. Action has generous coverage of floral scroll engraving that extends to forearm iron with borders at breech end of bbls. Engraver’s signature “R.Smeets Gra.” is found on the trigger plate. Hammers and ejector hammers are gold washed. Features include double under lug and third bite locking, bushed firing pins, selective ejectors & double triggers. Top lever, forearm tip escutcheon and first set of bbls. are marked with gold no. 1. Splinter forearm with Anson release and straight hand stock of exhibition quality European walnut having burl figure with contrasting dark and orange tones. Stock and forearm have generous coverage of point pattern hand checkering. Toeline of stock has brass nameplate engraved with initials “W.P”. Bottom of forearm has a pierced gold crest with a crown over a bird. LOP: 14-5/8’’ over a solid orange pad. DAC: 1-5/8’’. DAH: 2-5/8’’. Stock has approx. 3/8’’ of cast off. WEIGHT with 16 Ga. bbls: 6 lbs, 4 ozs. WEIGHT with 20 Ga. bbls: 6 lbs, 13.4 ozs. Both bbls. have hand matted concave ribs and brass front beads. Markings are “Aug. Lebeau-Courally/Arms de Grand Luxe a Liege.”. Bottom of bbls. are marked “ACIER COMPRIME/DE WAHLREYNE”. (Bbl. No. 1) 26-3/4’’, numbered to gun. Breech end has gold no. “1”. Bore diameter: RT .666, LT .667. Choke constriction: RT .010, LT .017. Minimum wall thickness: RT .029, LT .032. (Bbl. No. 2) 28’’, appears added with non-matching serial number “1183”. Breech end is marked with gold no. “2”. Bore diameter: RT .628, LT .626. Choke constriction: RT .010, LT .017. Minimum wall thickness: RT .052, LT .052. CONDITION: near excellent. Both bbls. retain over 98% original blue. Action has a muted case colored finish giving a vintage appearance. Wood is near excellent showing a few small handling marks. (23-646/DS). MODERN. $10,000-15,000.