American & British 410 Shotguns

210 Pages·2004·18.128 MB·English

by  Ronald S. Gabriel

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About the Author mm 441100 SShhoottgguunnss American & British
✦✦ ✦✦ ✦✦ ✦✦ ✦✦ ✦✦ ✦✦ ✦✦ ✦✦ ✦✦ ✦✦ ✦✦ 410 Shotguns
Ron Gabriel, born and raised in ee
southern California, lives there
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surrounded by a large extended family.
ii Ronald S. Gabriel
He enjoys guns, hunting and the world
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of ideas. This definitive history of the
410 shotgun is the result of Ron’s sixty aa Noted 410 shooter/historian,
years as a hunter and 410 enthusiast. Ronald Gabriel, gives his
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readers the most in-depth look
at the 410 shotgun ever compiled. From
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the 410 bore’s origins in the latter half
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of the 19 century to the latest models,
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this book is a must-read for all who
fancy small-bore shotguns.
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In addition to extensive 410
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cartridge and ballistic information, all
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major 410 manufacturers from both the
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ss United States and Britain are discussed
in great detail. American companies
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like Browning, Ithaca, Parker, L.C.
Smith and Winchester along with
44 British manufacturers such as Boss,
Churchill, Holland & Holland, Purdey,
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W.W. Greener, Westley Richards and
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many others are featured.
The more than 200 stunning color
SS photos provide a splendid backdrop for
a discussion that details and
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summarizes existing 410 knowledge
oo through documented and reliable data.
Over 30 years of research has gone into
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careful analysis of production records,
uu sales reports, serial number sequences
and other first-hand sources.
nn While the author maintains the main
purpose of this volume is “to provide a
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substrate of documented and reliable
data upon which others can build in the
future,” he also acknowledges that
another purpose is “to persuade the
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reader that the beauty of shooting a 410
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… is that the rewards of patience and
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r good form are a broken target and
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e harvested game.”
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ISBN 0-87349-679-5 U.S. $49.99
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RONALD S. GABRIEL
american & British 410 shotguns
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©2003 by Ronald S.Gabriel
All rights reserved.
Our toll-free number to place an order or obtain a free catalog is
800-258-0929.
All rights reserved.No portion of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or
by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and
retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote
brief passages in a critical article or review to be printed in a magazine or newspaper, or electronically
transmitted on radio or television.
Published by
Library of Congress Catalog Number: 2003108028
ISBN:0-87349-679-5
Designed by Stanard Design Partners
Edited by Joel Marvin
Manufactured in Singapore
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RONALD S. GABRIEL
american & British 410 shotguns
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dedication
PHILIP LOUIS GABRIEL 1908-1993
IDALIA ORTIZ GABRIEL
For their constant moral compass by which I have tried to guide my life.
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table of contents
Dedication.....................................................................................5
Acknowledgments...............................................................................9
Preface.......................................................................................11
Chapter 1 THE GENESIS OF THE 410 GAUGE......................................................12
Chapter 2 THE 410 CARTRIDGE.................................................................21
Chapter 3 BALLISTICS OF THE 410 CARTRIDGE...................................................30
Chapter 4 VARIOUS ACTIONS USED TO BUILD THE 410............................................36
Chapter 5 THE BROWNING SUPERPOSED 410.....................................................43
Chapter 6 ITHACA.............................................................................52
Chapter 7 PARKER BROTHERS..................................................................58
Chapter 8 L.C.SMITH..........................................................................72
Chapter 9 WINCHESTER, THE MODEL 21.........................................................80
Chapter 10 INTERESTING EARLY 20TH-CENTURY AMERICAN 410 SHOTGUNS..........................88
Chapter 11 ATKIN, GRANT & LANG..............................................................100
Chapter 12 BOSS..............................................................................106
Chapter 13 E.J. CHURCHILL, LTD................................................................112
Chapter 14 COGSWELL & HARRISON.............................................................120
Chapter 15 JOHN DICKSON & SON, LTD..........................................................125
Chapter 16 W. W. GREENER, LTD.................................................................130
Chapter 17 CHARLES HELLIS & SONS............................................................138
Chapter 18 HOLLAND & HOLLAND..............................................................141
Chapter 19 PURDEY with WOODWARD POSTSCRIPT................................................148
Chapter 20 WEBLEY & SCOTT, LTD...............................................................160
Chapter 21 WESTLEY RICHARDS & COMPANY.....................................................168
Chapter 22 WATSON BROS.....................................................................178
Chapter 23 JOHN WILKES & SON................................................................182
Chapter 24 OTHER BRITISH GUNMAKERS........................................................186
Chapter 25 INTERESTING TYPES OF SMOOTHBORE 410s...........................................198
Chapter 26 ROOK RIFLE/410 SMOOTHBORE CONVERSION STORY...................................202
Index.......................................................................................206
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acknowledgments
t he photography is an important part of this book. companies who opened their ledgers to me is especially notewor-
Each of the photos is duly credited. Five photog- thy since the gun trade in general and their clientele in particular
raphers deserve special mention. R.J. Clark of tend to be especially reserved in divulging information.
Cameo, Norwich, England, did many of the Donna Bledsoe, CMT has been my professional secretary,
British guns. G. Allan Brown of East Haddam, Connecticut, and researcher, editor and transcriptionist for over 33 years. This
Mike Levasheff of Los Angeles, California, did a number of work, as well as others, could not have been sustained without
American and a few of the British guns. Glenn Campbell of Los her skills. The course of my last three decades owes much to her
Angeles, California, photographed a potpourri of important ability, humor, loyalty and charity. Stacy Ann Winters has pro-
guns, papers and cartridges. Paul Goodwin of Newport, vided over two decades of support, affection and much more for
Kentucky, did the largest number of guns and accouterments my various professional and avocational endeavors. Pamela Jane
including the front and back cover. The quality speaks for itself. Hobbs took in hand my life and provided the organization and
Virtually all the individuals who provided information for tranquility to finish this project. I am well aware of my heavy
this work are referenced accordingly. The generosity of the gun debt to Idalia, Donna, Stacy and Pamela.
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