Rathbone double shotgun

[kjohn]

I just acquired an old hammer double, 12 ga., 30" bbls. All I can find is "RATHBONE" on the LH side plate, behind the hammer. On the rib, back near the breach is "WARRANTED GOVERNMENT TEST". On the RH side plate is "MACHINE MADE". There is another word or letters behind RATHBONE, but I ca't make it out. Can anyone shed any light on this? (Edit) The letters behind RATHBONE might be "RNSC"..........There is a repair pin right at the end of RATHBONE, then this RNSC........Thanks in advance. kjohn

 

[Sharptail]

I have never heard of Rathbone, but I have seen "Warranted Government Test" and "Machine Made" on shotguns before - all on guns of Belgian make. The Belgians made SXS's of all descriptions, from worst to best. The history of Belgian gunmaking is a black hole, as there were many individual makers in a guild who built guns to be marketed by others. Few records were kept. With Belgian guns, each one must be evaluated on its own merit.

Your gun is likely to be pre WWII, and may have short chambers. I would not recommend shooting modern ammo out of it until a gunsmith has taken a look at it. On the flats under the barrels and on the water table there will be proof marks. Those marks can tell some of the history of the gun, if you can describe them or put up a photo I may be able to tell you what they mean.

Sharptail

 

[Mark Dube]

"Rathbone SXS"

Any chance it may say "RAWBONE"?

Brithish gun making family, wound up in Toronto Canada.

This one was built by Westley Richards and stocked & finished by RAWBONE, circa 1880.

Mark

 

[Sharptail]

Mark, where have you been hiding that one? It is a very fine gun. Do you shoot it?

I have heard of Rawbone but never thought I would see one (even in rebadged WR form). An old gunmaking family from Birmingham to London to South Africa to Canada. W G Rawbone and possibly Henry Rawbone came to Canada in 1873 and established the "Rawbone Gun & Manufacturing Co" in Toronto. A fine piece of Canadian firearms history. Any more pics?

Sharptail

 

[kjohn]

It is definitely RATHBONE. I won't be firing this old girl anyway. I will do some measuring and try to get a photo up. Thanks.

 

[Mark Dube]

Sxs

KJohn, sorry for the Hi-Jack. I look forward to your photos.

Sharptail, I don't hide it I show it off at every opportunity.

I do shoot it, geese, turkey, and Sporting Clays (this one is a 10 gauge).

Here are a couple more pics.

Mark

ps There was a post in the photo gallery a month or so ago inviting photos of SXS's, let's bring it back and take a litte space between the camo-autos, and "black guns"