Charles Hellis, London, .410 28"

[edgarspencer]

This lovely little English .410 belongs to another PGCA member. Unlike so many I have had the pleasure to play with, this little guy can be shot well by an adult, having a 14 1/2" LOP, 1.25"DAC, 2.25" DAH. It's circa 1902, but has 3" chambers and 28" barrels. It will be at Sandanona and Addieville, and is for sale by the owner.

[OH Osthaus]

very nice, I doubt it be for sale at both?. if its priced right it won't make it home from Sandanona

[Big D]

And the price is...?

[Researcher]

There were no 3-inch .410-bore shells around in 1902. Many English .410-bore shotguns like this started life as something like a .360 Rook rifles and as British gun laws tightened up got rebarreled as less restricted .410-bore shotguns.

[edgarspencer]

Trust me Dave, I know the difference between a genuine .410 and a bored out rook rifle, and can read proof marks. The saddest example I've seen was a drop lock Westley Richards , originally .300 Sherwood, that got bored to a .410.
I didn't say the chamber length was original, and I haven't measured it myself, just going on what the owner told me; that they are 3".
It's just in transit, so I don't know that the owner and seller have come up with a price.

[Dean Romig]

Dave's words were "rebarreled" not "bored out", if I read them correctly.

[edgarspencer]

I've seen them sleeved to .22 and bored out, but I haven't seen any rebarreled. Rebarreling them would have been expensive, but not so much to just bore them out, fill the sight dovetails and stick it on the shelf. It's really a shame as .300 Rook, and .360 Rook are being loaded again. Nonte's book gives plenty of cartridge conversions, but many opted for the easiest route to sell them. There's a nice Purdey Rook rifle for sale locally for $3kish. I dare say it would be double that if the original bore was any good and it was left alone.

[6pt-Sika]

Cool little gun !

We have a Charles Hellis 16 gauge in the shop for sale . Seems it belonged to some Lord Plunkett . He was something or other to the present Queen I believe and died back in the 90's I think .

[Richard Flanders]

What a great little .410. Hope someone here ends up with it and we see stories of bird hunting with it down the road.

[6pt-Sika]

FWIW , here's the Chas Hellis "Lord Plunkett" 16 gauge we have at the shop !