Pair of Cogswell and Harrison's 16 Gauge

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zipperhead

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Gents I picked up this pair and am looking for a bit of advice. They are a very nice pair of consecutive serial numbered guns marked Extra quality Victor ejector. According to the company they were made in 1904. Problem is someone in the last 110 years cut a chunk out of each comb and replaced it with a piece of cushioned leather, now deteriorated. Any ideas on having them restocked or barring that an idea on how to make them presentable?






















Thanks
 
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Zipperhead, those are potentially very nice guns, if current condition is suitable. There is a quality fix for the problem you describe and that is to send them to a guy in the US named Mark Larson. He specializes in repairing damaged gunstocks or adding length to them and artfully painting in the grain so as to not be able to tell its not original wood. Given the value of the guns you have and that they are a matched pair, that is what I would do. It won't be inexpensive but it will be good value for the money. It's a bit of a headache getting guns across the border for repairs but that's all.

Mark is a regular poster on both the DoubleGunShop forum and the 16 Gauge Society forum and is highly regarded for his talent by the double gun community.

Mark is in Tacoma Washington and his email is mark@marklarsonart.com
 
Are you sure a chunk has been cut out or were they just glued on top? That being said, if they have a piece missing, the cheapest way to remedy has been mentioned by canvasback. That is to have a piece inlet back into the stock. The repair should be almost, if not invisible. The other way is to restock which is very expensive to have the same quality of wood. Also, most diehards would rather have an original repaired stock than a restock. (but not always).
 
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I believed when I was bidding on them ( on line ) that it was glued on, unfortunately however the wood has been removed and these pieces inserted.
 
There is a very good chance that the guns were originally built this way, or were modified by an English smith before they left the country. Pads of this sort were not unheard of, even with the best of makers. It seems to me from the photos, that they are definitely inlet into the wood, and the workmanship is better than your average Bubba. I've never cared for the look of them, but the best thing to do might be to simply replace the leather. This keeps the original flavour of the guns and avoids a lot of costly surgery to the wood. If you start fitting pieces in, no matter how well done, it will always show, and a decent restock job will set you back about $3000 per gun.

I'm assuming you've been in contact with Cogswell's; did they supply you with a copy of the ledger page or just a date of manufacture. They might be able to tell you if the work was original.

http://www.cogswellandharrison.com/index.php/certificate-of-origin
 
I don't think they were originally built that way although there is a chance it could have been a special order. If done after the fact by whoever, the value is greatly reduced over one that has not been modified.
 
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This is what I received from the company. I have not yet requested the certificate.

Thank you for your email. We can confirm these guns were completed on the 19th of November 1904. They are X qual Victor sidelock ejectors which would be at the very top of our sidelock range. If you would like a certificate of origin for the guns it will cost £50 inc P&P. Please let me know by reply if you wish to have one drawn up."
 
From a Westley Richards catalogue, mid- 30's;

P3120168_zps011dab41.jpg
 
zipperhead said:
This is what I received from the company. I have not yet requested the certificate.

Thank you for your email. We can confirm these guns were completed on the 19th of November 1904. They are X qual Victor sidelock ejectors which would be at the very top of our sidelock range. If you would like a certificate of origin for the guns it will cost £50 inc P&P. Please let me know by reply if you wish to have one drawn up."
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I could be wrong but they look like sideplated boxlock guns to me, not true sidelocks. In fact there are several listed online that are listed as boxlocks with sideplates. Nice guns either way.
 
Other than the couple of screws through the sideplate, it lacks the pins that a sidelock normally has. Also, if you look closely, it appears there is a line that runs just in front of the top screw and makes a couple of curves travelling downward and finishes just above the bottom of the action.
 
There are such things as pinless actions, but I would agree that this is a boxlock with falsies. The pin just below the angle of the action is a giveaway; this is the pin the tumblers pivot on. There is a small screw just behind the hinge which conceals the pin for the cocking levers.
 
I would talk to Cary Stricker of M&S Stocking in Leader Saskatchewan If you're looking to restock those guns. They're a pair of beauties. You lucky sonofa#####!
 
Nice pair of Coggy's indeed. I assume you wish to keep and shoot them.

Restocking may be the best option ... from what I can see and the date of construction, I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't have at least 3" drop at heel !

Ex-pat Brit 'smiths worth investigating are Nick Makinson (Komoka, ON, in-trade for both Churchill and Atkin, Grant & Lang) and Les Paul (Oshawa, ON, of Henry Atkin) .
Both do outstanding work on doubles.
 
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beretta boy said:
Nice pair of Coggy's indeed. I assume you wish to keep and shoot them.

Restocking may be the best option ... from what I can see and the date of construction, I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't have at least 3" drop at heel !

Ex-pat Brit 'smiths worth investigating are Nick Makinson (Komoka, ON, in-trade for both Churchill and Atkin, Grant & Lang) and Les Paul (Oshawa, ON, of Henry Atkin) .
Both do outstanding work on doubles.
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They do nice work but be aware that you will likely have a long wait before they are finished (if that is a concern). But two things first. If you are thinking of selling these, try to find out for sure if the pads are original. If so, I would not remove them or restock it. Also, if you are thinking of selling, I would not invest the money to restock even if the pads are not original. If you are keeping them, then that becomes another matter.
 
Gunsaholic makes a very valid point - whether you are keeping the guns to use - or will be selling them.

I assumed you were going to keep * shoot them ... I couldn't bear to part with such a nice matched pair, and
waiting a year or 18 months wouldn't bother me in the least for custom stocks to be made.
 
Gents,
Thanks for all the great information. I have sent some queries off to some of the folks you recommended. I also sent a letter request to Cogswell and Harrison to see if the pads were factory ordered. I looked closely and there is a line on the sideplate where part of it is removable, so it could very well be a boxlock gun. As for keeping them I am undecided as I still have yet to source some 2.5 inch shells to see how they shoot for me.
 
zipperhead said:
Gents,
Thanks for all the great information. I have sent some queries off to some of the folks you recommended. I also sent a letter request to Cogswell and Harrison to see if the pads were factory ordered. I looked closely and there is a line on the sideplate where part of it is removable, so it could very well be a boxlock gun. As for keeping them I am undecided as I still have yet to source some 2.5 inch shells to see how they shoot for me.
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Here in Winnipeg Wholesale Sports has Kent Gamebore or Pure Gold low pressure shells in 2 1/2". Don't know if other WSS stores carry them.
 
zipperhead said:
Gents,
Thanks for all the great information. I have sent some queries off to some of the folks you recommended. I also sent a letter request to Cogswell and Harrison to see if the pads were factory ordered. I looked closely and there is a line on the sideplate where part of it is removable, so it could very well be a boxlock gun. As for keeping them I am undecided as I still have yet to source some 2.5 inch shells to see how they shoot for me.
Click to expand...

I suspect the pads are factory so unless you plan on keeping the pair forever I would leave them as is. Very nice old shotguns.
 
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