Birmingham Proofs
 

I just purchased a G.E. Lewis and Sons shotgun, and was hoping someone could decipher some of the proofs. There is a '15/1' stamped on each barrel. It may also be '13/1'. Is this a date code? On the right barrel, forward of the flats, are two crossed swords with a zero or an 'O' beneath them. The initials 'WL' appear on each barrel, as well. Thank you!

Sir:
Your gun is proofed with 3" chambers for 1 1/2 oz. loads at nitro proof, Birmingham. It carries both Birmingham "View" and black powder proofs per original testing. There is supposed to be choke in both barrels per the 12/C diamond stamp. And the word "CHOKE". This is no guarantee there is still choke however. The 13 over 1 is an earlier mark meaning the original bore size was 13 bore plus about .010 inches. A bore mic would reveal how much of this information still applies. The WL is the fellow who made the barrels... whom I can't remember just now.

As you obviously already know, your gun is a 12-ga. Upon blowing your pics up the 15/1 or 13/1 is definitely 13/1 which is the bore diameter. At the time of proof it was .719". The stamp in front of the barrel flats is the Birmingham private viewers' date mark which on your gun was 1934-35.

Thank you both for the good info! I was kinda thinking that it was a '3', not a '5'. It is a very plain A&D action with no engraving. It weighs 7 pounds 11 ounces, and balances just ahead of the hinge. It is full of smelly, dried up grease and will need a good cleaning. I will follow up with more photos.

Are you sure about that, John?

Mia culpa. It refers to 12 bore chamber. Thank you for bringing it to my attention.

The viewer's date mark, after thorough cleaning, has revealed an upper case 'G', which indicates 1926-1927. I ordered a 1926 catalog reprint from Cornell and should receive it tomorrow. I am curious to see what the gun retailed for. Cheers!

I received a nice copy of the factory ledger for my Lewis. It departed from Liverpool onboard the S.S. Montnairn, 21 April 1928. It was ordered by Wm H. Bagnell, manager of the Satisfaction Store, P.O. Box 568, in North Sydney, Nova Scotia. The cost was 15/-/-, and a discount of 1/10/- was applied. Payment was received 14 June 1928. My gun matches the specs in the ledger, which is nice. The ledger entry also shows the Lewis shotgun traded in toward my gun, and the amount allowed for it, along with the serial number and when it was purchased (02 May 1924). The only thing I don't know, is who ultimately purchased it from Mr. Bagnell. The gun is a 'Magnum Wildfowler' and appears to have seen its share of marshes and blinds!

Getting such a complete letter on a gun is really nice. I should have my Boss lettered. Maybe I could learn the history on it. Cant figure how to go about it.

you could contact them and ask if they have records

http://bossguns.com/

but realize many London maker's records did not survive the blitz