Midland Gun Company, 32 inch barrels, SBS 12 bore

[Vernon William Ballance 736]

What Ho Chaps and Chappesses,
A Midland gun has crossed my path and I have noted the comment in the Database re the possible "quality and also that the appearance

1

Midland post 1926.jpg (226.79 KiB) Viewed 478 times

does not shriek 1 st grade.

Thanks to the database I now know that it is a post 1926 gun as it is stamped, "..Midland Gun Co Birmingham England. Patent no 260187.."

Two questions........please.

1...As the serial no is 91074, is it possible to define a production date further?
2...It has a "Leg of mutton" case which is the first I have encountered "down here in the colonies." Are they a cheaper option than the oblong canvas / wooden "Car gun case?." or were quality examples of these made when a gun order was made, on request, instead of the oblong variety?

Thank You.

[John 39]

Hi Vernon,

I can't help very much as regards date but I will email you the info we have on serial numbers.

The long barrels seem to indicate that this was made as a duck and goose gun. It would be interesting to know if it was tightly choke bored.

In 1926 Henry England retired and the firm was sold to Alfred Herbert Marsh. In this year Marsh and Thorneycroft registered patent No. 260187 for a top bolt and single bite in the rear barrel lump.

Leg O Mutton cases were cheaper than oak and leather cases, and more often than not made the gun easier to transport. They usually need a few coats of oil to keep them supple and preserve them. I would think, because of the barrel length, that the original owner ordered the case for the gun.

[Vernon William Ballance 736]

Good Morning John,

Many thanks for the prompt and informative response. I now know a little more about Goose guns and leg of mutton cases.

I have posted the information on the web site connected with the gun and as it is a New Zealand wide site, recorded my thanks to you and included your site's name. Hopefully a few new members may result.

Not connected but I see that the stores here in New Zealand are already displaying their Christmas Shopping windows so perhaps it is not too premature to wish you "Merry Christmas", before the followers of woke, manage to "cancel Christmas".