A couple nice hammerguns, both by Thomas Bland & Sons…

Thomas Bland, Gunmakers, Strand, London
Thomas Bland, Gunmakers, Strand, London

If there’s one thing that gets my heart racing, it’s a nice, old hammergun. I’ve always loved hammerguns. If they have any faults, it’s that most of them are 120+ years old. That means they’ve have had plenty of time to be used and abused, leaving them so worn out and so messed with I wouldn’t want to own them.

But that doesn’t appear to be the case with either of these hammerguns. From what I can see, they both look they’re in excellent, shootable condition. Both of them were made by Thomas Bland & Sons, a British gunmaker that started out in 1840 and continues on to this day.

12 gauge Thomas Bland Improved Gamekeeper SxS Hammer Shotgun
12 gauge Thomas Bland Improved Gamekeeper SxS Hammer Shotgun

Thomas Bland Improved Gamekeeper: 12ga , 30 inch 1/4 and full choke barrels, nitro proofed, the gun is in like new mechanical condition, mint bores, the entire gun is very tight, 14 3/8 LOP, beautiful walnut stock. I believe the gun was professionally reconditioned in England, great balance and fit, no cast, 1 1/2 DAC, 2 1/2 DAH, 2 3/4 chambers, a great shooter. Price: $1,950

T. BLAND 12GA LONDON HAMMERGUN ANTIQUE: Very nice 12ga London made non rebounding hammergun. Made before well 1889. Gun has been reproofed in London for Nitro powder 850 BAR. Gun locks up tight on face. Barrels ring. Very nice brown Damascus Pattern with a few scatterd blemishes. Crisp locks. Nice wood with a few hunting marks. Good shooting dementions. Ribs are tight, no dents, bores are bright with scattered imperfection and a few light pits. Price: $2575

T. BLAND 12GA LONDON HAMMERGUN ANTIQUE SxS
T. BLAND 12GA LONDON HAMMERGUN ANTIQUE SxS

Manufacturer: T.BLAND
Model: NON REBOUNDING HAMMERGUN
Serial Number: 3235
Bore: R.721 L .722
Chambers: 2 1/2in
Condition: EXCELENT
Metal Condition: Excellent
Wood Condition: Excellent
Bore Condition: VERY GOOD
Barrels: DAMASCUS
Gauge: 12GA
Stock Comb: 1 9/16IN
Stock Heel: 2 1/4IN

T. BLAND 12GA LONDON HAMMERGUN ANTIQUE SxS
T. BLAND 12GA LONDON HAMMERGUN ANTIQUE SxS

Stock Cast: RIGHT HAND
Butt Pad: heel & toe clips
LOP: 14 5/16
Weight: 7.45lbs
Manufacture Date: well before 1889
Choke Left: CYL
Choke Right: CYL
Proof:Nitro: 850 BAR 1990

Minimum Wall Thickness Left: .035
Minimum Wall Thickness Right: .031

This week’s good guns: Powered by Gunsinternational.com…

John Dickson Hammer Toplever Sidelock Double Rifle .500 BPE
John Dickson Hammer Toplever Sidelock Double Rifle .500 BPE

John Dickson Hammer Toplever Sidelock Double Rifle .500 BPE: Circa 1875, 28″ original damascus barrels engraved “John Dickson & Son” on the left barrel and “65 Princes Street Edinburgh”. 14 1/2″ LOP over a checkered butt with engraved heel and toe plates, 9 lbs. even, extractor, double triggers, pistol grip with engraved steel grip cap, file cut flat rib with one standing and one folding leaf marked 100 and 200, long post bead front sight, stalking safeties, backaction island sidelocks with fine scroll engraving and engraved “John Dickson & Son” on both sides. Excellent condition and we believe all original and likely original finishes, great bores and tight action. Comes in period leather case with maker’s label (missing handle and straps), period sling with correct connectors for the sling eyes and a labeled box of period Kynoch .500 BPE ammo. Price: $13,950.00

20g W.W. Greener FH35 double barrel shotgun, excellent original condition
20g W.W. Greener FH35 double barrel shotgun, excellent original condition

W.W. Greener, FH 35, 20ga. 28” barrels choked IC/IM. Outstanding Greener FH35: Choked IC/IM.  Outstanding Greener FH35. Very rare top safety with AE. Retains 99.9% original color case hardening, not refinished.  Double trigger, semi-pistol grip, leather covered pad, splinter forend.  Nearly perfect wood, perfect checkering, 100% blue.  Very seldom encountered, light weight.  An outstanding collector gun. 14” x 1 ½” x 2 ½”. 5 lbs., 6oz. Price: $12,750

BERETTA EXPRESS RIFLE 9.3X74R CALIBER: 24″ Bbbl with raised rib and fitxed sights, color case hardened action, double triggers, ejectors, 14 7/8″ LOP, 98% Overall. Price: $4,699.00

BERETTA EXPRESS RIFLE 9.3X74R CALIBER
BERETTA EXPRESS RIFLE 9.3X74R CALIBER

 

THOMAS BLAND 12- 3" MAG- APPEARS UNFIRED- BOXLOCK EJECT- 30" Bbls- 98% ORIG CASE COLORS- APPEARS UNFIRED
THOMAS BLAND 12- 3″ MAG- APPEARS UNFIRED- BOXLOCK EJECT- 30″ Bbls- 98% ORIG CASE COLORS- APPEARS UNFIRED

THOMAS BLAND 12- 3″ MAG- APPEARS UNFIRED- BOXLOCK EJECT- 30″ Bbls- 98% ORIG CASE COLORS- APPEARS UNFIRED: #18810, Thomas Bland & Son, West Strand, London WC2: A 12 Bore Original 3″ Magnum Boxlock Ejector Model Brent Made in 1957 with 30″ Ejector Dovetail Lump barrels with rib extension third bite at .729 .020 & .035 (Mod. & Full), Original 3″ chambers, Birmingham proof at 3 1/2 Tons per square inch and 3″, It then was proved again at 1200 BAR in 1992 and has the proper reproof marks, Double triggers, Splinter forend with an Anson release, Open pistol grip stock at 14 1/4 x 1 1/2 x 2 1/8″ over a 7/8″ pad, Cast-off for the right hand, 7 lbs. 12 oz., 35% engraving coverage, Retains 98% original case colors, 99% original barrel blue, The wood is 99% original, The checkering remaining at 100%, The bores are new.
Price: $2,850.00

L C SMITH, HUNTER ARMS, IDEAL GRADE, 20 GAUGE, 28" BARRELS
L C SMITH, HUNTER ARMS, IDEAL GRADE, 20 GAUGE, 28″ BARRELS

L C Smith Ideal Grade 20 Gauge Automatic Ejectors:  28″ BARRELS, F&M, EXCELLENT BLUE, MIRROR BORES.  AUTOMATIC EJECTORS, MARKED 2 3/4″.  FEATHERWEIGHT FRAME, TRACES OF CASE COLOR.  PISTOL GRIP STOCK, SPLINTER FOREARM, NICELY FIGURED WOOD, EXCELLENT CHECKERING.  GRIP CAP CHIPPED, ORIGINAL HAWKIN RECOIL PAD.  HIGH DIMENSIONS – 1 1/2″ X 2 1/2″ X 13 3/4″, 5 POUNDS 14 OUNCES.  Price: $1,850.00