Greener 4 bore

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WR1894

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Not that this if for sale just inquiring what the value of this would be, the gun is a Greener SXS 4 bore and by factory records was started in Oct 1882. On the bottom of the barrels with the proof marks it is marked not for ball since it was choked and this mark started I believe around 1885 or 87 The records shows that the barrels were 36 inches long and then the gun was sent to the Cape and sold by there agent there WG Rawbone in Capetown Africa and it marked WG Rawbone on the rib with WW Greener on the side of the action. The barrels have been shorten to 32 1/2 inches which would have removed the chokes. There is no way of knowing for sure but the gun may have been shipped that way to Rawbone or he may have done this so that balls could be shot in it for dangerous game as some of these were used for backup guns. It is chambered for the 4 inch brass cases and the bores are very good as is the gun over all. There is 75% brown left on the barrels and the wood finsh is very good but no colour left in the action. Here are a couple of pictures. This is a keeper for sure

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John
 
You don't see many 4-bores around, which cuts both ways when trying to pin down the value. On one hand, rarity increases the value, but makes it hard to pin down a figure since so few of them show up on the market.

I'm guessing 6-8 thousand, but I could be way off the mark.

Awesome gun, have you put any rounds through it?
 
A friend of mine has a 4 gauge underlever single shot built in the 1870's. He has been offered $1800 for it and wouldn't sell. Your double should be worth twice that at least but as has been said, there are not enough of them sold to guess at market value. It is a quality English gun, beautiful shotgun.
 
gunsaholic said:
Whatever the value might be, the cut off barrels are going to have some impact on value. And of course condition. It is a nice gun though.
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I agree. Beautiful gun, shame about the barrels. It's still worth a good buck, but the chokes being cut off reduces the value significantly. That's the very reason why mint condition pieces are so valuable - it's rare to find one that somebody hasn't modified (almost always in a negative way).
 
I understand the barrels being shorten affects the value and the records from Greener doesn't give the shipping information on the gun as it was started at least 3 years before it was proofed and no ship date in records but since it went to the cape it may have been done in the factory since the gun could have been sold for a backup for dangerous game. I am just guessing at this and there is no way of knowing but I like that story.
But hopefully I will get some brass cases made up for it and try some balls in it plus some shot. It is a little heavy for grouse at 19 pounds but should follow though with the swing.
John
 
John,
Just out of curiosity, what do the bores measure? I have heard that 4 bore shotguns actually had a relatively wide range of bore diameters ranging from a true 4 bore down to about a 6 bore.
The Tula arms factory in Russia produces a 4 gauge pump-action shotgun, so presumably they have ammunition for it, too. Getting some over here, though, would be the problem, and then it might not be safe for your old Greener.
Additionally, I have in my collections (somewhere) an un-used Alcan flare empty paper hull which is not marked as being 4 gauge, but is pretty darn close. It might be worth looking for those. If you can measure the chamber diameter accurately, I can give you a measure of the paper hull (if I can find it).
That is, truly, a very fine shotgun. I hope that you can get some suitable loads developed and have a chance to shoot it!
 
Couldn't get this gun off my mind all day yesterday, and I'm thinking that I might revise my estimate upward by about double what I first quoted, mainly because 4-bores are such a rare item. I"m assuming the bores look as good as the rest of the gun, the action's not loose, etc. As long as the barrel shortening is a period alteration, I don't think it will affect the value that much.

Probably the best way to get a handle on it's value would be to email pics to Champlins, or Schwandt Classic Arms, or Drakes; they have more experience dealing with this kind of stuff.

I wonder what kind of pattern you would have gotten at 100 yards from a full choke 4-bore? I"m also willing to wager that if you ever get around to shooting it, that it'll be the hardest kicking gun that you ever have, or ever will shoot, even at 19 lbs.
 
WR1894, I would suggest you make this same post on Doublegunshop BB. There is an active group of large bore fans on there from both the US and England and I suspect you might get a load of info regarding both value and loading advice for this Greener. The pool of large bore users is very small in Canada.

Shame about the barrels.
 
have fun mite i ask is there still something in between the barrels or is it open if its open id have it plugged this way BP does not go into it and start rusting (ive seen it on smaller guns the barrels already thin get worse)

i had a source for 4 bore hulls but i lost the link on my old computer i'll try to find it again (ps i also hear ballistic products may be sitting on some UK made plastic 4 bore/ga hulls)
 
The bores in the gun are perfect and measure .995, the barrels are finished at the ends and this is one reason I believe it left teh factory as it is as the barrels come right together with no space. It is marked 4 BC on the bottom for brass cases but I do have some plastic ones and also some eley paper and then some of the flare case which should also work. One of these days I will get it out and shoot it. I have fired a 4 bore double rifle with a 1850 grain bullet and 400 grains of black powder. It is a thrill
 
WR1894 said:
The bores in the gun are perfect and measure .995, the barrels are finished at the ends and this is one reason I believe it left teh factory as it is as the barrels come right together with no space. It is marked 4 BC on the bottom for brass cases but I do have some plastic ones and also some eley paper and then some of the flare case which should also work. One of these days I will get it out and shoot it. I have fired a 4 bore double rifle with a 1850 grain bullet and 400 grains of black powder. It is a thrill
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well it my have been cut down at the factory then

if it was sent to africa it may have even been reregulated for ball

you could use some big round balls as buckshot about .490 if stacked in rows of two (also will depend on hull thickness)
 
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