Not a Giffard, suspiciously like a Greener though

[Clank]

and CO2.
What the hell is it?







Liwering the cocking lever rotates the loading port at the top and it is .22 bore (I think, I haven't measured it and dare not put a pellet in it. The Co2 cylinder unscrews easily enough and the gun has a wonderful brown patina. No makers name that I can see though.

[Geezer]

Looks a lot like a modified Martini cartridge rifle action.

[Clank]

Looks a lot like a modified Martini cartridge rifle action.

I did think that, but the action is beautifully smooth and precise. However, on the trigger guard there is what I think to be a proof mark.
Confounds me that there is no makers name anywhere, nor a number.

[Geezer]

I did think that, but the action is beautifully smooth and precise. However, on the trigger guard there is what I think to be a proof mark.
Confounds me that there is no makers name anywhere, nor a number.

It looks to me like a Martini with the top chopped off at an angle and a new bit made to fit (held on by the screw at top right?) that contains the airgun firing mechanism and the rear sight. It has all the features of a Martini - trigger guard, trigger, lever, right-side cocking indicator.

[Mark D]

Can't help with the ID - it is a very pleasing looking rifle and that loading action would make a fast loading piece.

I would guess that it's a home made affair, there are a few gents on this forum that could make something like that

[Garvin]

Could it be a prototype of a London Giffard?

https://forum.vintageairgunsgallery....fle/#post-1466

[oldcurmudgeon]

My thoughts exactly, London Giffard and calibre should be .295.

[chieffool]

Ohhh....
....that is beautiful. Having a hard time typing as my tongue is hanging out so far and getting in the way.

The martini action looks so good and 'fit for purpose. Quite logical and lovely.

[Clank]

The more I look at this gun, the more convinced I am rhat it is a Greener, or based on the Greener GP Martini action:




In one of the pictures above you can see a cross hatched indent for the thumb to rest on. I have seen this somewhere else - just cannot remember where is the problem.

[Benelli B76]

Martini Henry thumb rest... dead giveaway. Even has the double line border on it.

[duomatic410]

Probably set of as a 303 carbine, more rife than shotgun.

[Jerry Cornelius]

Remarkable. I wonder who made it and why. They certainly seem to have known what they were doing.

[oldcurmudgeon]

I believe that I may know who created this, if it is a.22 then careful inspection of the barrel may show it to be sleeved with Parker-Hale parker rifling insert. If this is the case, then it will have originated from the one and only Les Westley. Before legislation became too restrictive, he was converting old rook rifles with said insert to CO2.
So a very good chance it's one of his, though the one I saw was marked with his name.
HTH

[Benelli B76]

I believe that I may know who created this, if it is a.22 then careful inspection of the barrel may show it to be sleeved with Parker-Hale parker rifling insert. If this is the case, then it will have originated from the one and only Les Westley. Before legislation became too restrictive, he was converting old rook rifles with said insert to CO2.
So a very good chance it's one of his, though the one I saw was marked with his name.
HTH

Yes a lot were sleeved with .22 rimfire barrels, I had one myself, it weighed a ton but supremely accurate. Had a moderator fitted and all you heard was the clink of the hammer on firing. This guy has done a beautiful engineering job with the conversion.

Baz

[Mark D]

So....we need to know calibre and if the barrel has been sleeved - over to you Clank