Lincoln Jeffries / BSA 1906 Bayonet Under Lever Rifle

[gingernut]

Not Chinese then

Stop it Pete.

I think that’s right Gareth.
I’ve had a few of these H models.
But never an L J.

My mate had an L J which was a joy to hold and shoot.
He used to hang it on his dining room wall and refuse to sell it to me!

[Josie & John]

I may be missing something (nothing new there!) but this seems to be a Lincoln from the air cylinder onwards, judging from the cylinder markings and knurled tap screw. However, the trigger block and stock appear to be from a BSA Improved Model. I'd roughly date the Lincoln to 1906 (from the knurled tap - roughly, as I say as the option of this type of tap was offered as a retro fit by LJ, so could arguably be found on an upgraded BSA) and the BSA to 1907 (from the SN).

Bearing in mind parts can interchange and the number of old rifles that are parted out on t'bay for example, it would not surprise me if a previous owner made one working gun from two non working guns.

Without the full story, we can only guess from the evidence before us.

John

[Gareth W-B]

I may be missing something (nothing new there!) but this seems to be a Lincoln from the air cylinder onwards, judging from the cylinder markings and knurled tap screw. However, the trigger block and stock appear to be from a BSA Improved Model. I'd roughly date the Lincoln to 1906 (from the knurled tap - roughly, as I say as the option of this type of tap was offered as a retro fit by LJ, so could arguably be found on an upgraded BSA) and the BSA to 1907 (from the SN).

Bearing in mind parts can interchange and the number of old rifles that are parted out on t'bay for example, it would not surprise me if a previous owner made one working gun from two non working guns.

Without the full story, we can only guess from the evidence before us.

Hi John. I had an improved Mod. D about twenty years ago that had the same tap set-up, so that doesn't phase me or suggest it is anything other than original to me, and also, and as stated earlier, as the barrel sports the BSA piled arms logo between the rear sight and the loading port, it is doubtful that it is from an LJ?

Further, as the trigger action assembly and butt are clearly BSA, and as the wording on the cylinder is as I have learned, the same as seen on many early BSAs from the period when LJ still owned the patient (according to the wibblywobblyinterweb), I think that since the alarm was raised by a well wisher that this gun may be a bit of a bitsa, that I have been chasing ghosts which simply don't exist?

[gingernut]

As the car salesman says
‘ They are all like that Sir ‘

I’m confident you can sell it as a Pukka BSA.
The knurled tap screw doesn’t make it anything else.

[Gareth W-B]

As the car salesman says
‘ They are all like that Sir ‘

I’m confident you can sell it as a Pukka BSA.
The knurled tap screw doesn’t make it anything else.

Yep, agreed.

[Josie & John]

Further, as the trigger action assembly and butt are clearly BSA, and as the wording on the cylinder is as I have learned, the same as seen on many early BSAs from the period when LJ still owned the patient (according to the wibblywobblyinterweb), I think that since the alarm was raised by a well wisher that this gun may be a bit of a bitsa, that I have been chasing ghosts which simply don't exist?

Hi Gareth,

H The Lincoln was only ever used on the cylinders of standard length Lincolns. Some early BSAs referenced the Lincoln patent on the cylinder thus, leading some collectors to (incorrectly) call these rifles Lincolns:

THE BSA AIR RIFLE___LINCOLN JEFFRIES’ PATENT
MADE BY THE BIRMINGHAM SMALL ARMS COMPANY LTD

However, if a rifle has H the Lincoln on the cylinder, that cylinder was originally sold as a Lincoln. Several variations of Lincoln cylinder stamping exist and having looked through my records, the markings on your rifle tend to appear on Lincolns around the 23000 range

Kind regards,

John

[Garvin]

Hi Gareth

Sorry to get to this party late... FWIW I humbly defer to John M on this question - it does sound like a bitsa after all.

If you email me the pics I'd be glad to host them for you.

[Gareth W-B]

Hi Gareth

Sorry to get to this party late... FWIW I humbly defer to John M on this question - it does sound like a bitsa after all.

If you email me the pics I'd be glad to host them for you.

Ahh, so that is two of my three oracles still thinking that the cylinder is off an LJ whereas the rest of the rifle is BSA, then, it seems? ... Will keep the sales thread on hold until Lakey has had a look at this thread, though, although I now imagine his prognosis will marry-up with yours and John's?

As for the photos of this eclectic beast my fine fellow, they are all on said sales thread, but I'll buzz them over to you, for including here, too (cheers chum ).

[Benelli B76]

Just noticed that my very early Lincoln serial 1630 straight stock model has the locking screw for the tap in a different position to the later H marked model with pistol grip. My locking screw is vertically at the bottom. The H is facing horizontally towards the back of the rifle, with the tap closed.

Baz

[Gareth W-B]

I think that’s right Gareth.
I’ve had a few of these H models.
But never an L J.

Cheers Patric, but I will hold off proclaiming this as job done until one or both of the two aforementioned gents throw their twopennith in, too, as the third man on my oracle list along with Lakey and Garvin, namely our Josie & John, is still out with the jury ...