Summary

British breech-loading sporting rifle, Field's Patent, cal. .450 in., blued steel rifled seven-groove round barrel, 66.50cm long.

Made by I. Hollis & Sons, Brimingham, serial number 1084, circa 1880.

Physical Description

Steel receiver with loading lever on R.H. side, steel oval triggerguard, steel butt plate, two sling swivel eyelets. Bedded bladed front sight, rear sight graduated to 1000 yards. Wooden half-stock with pistol grip with horn cap, horn foreend, chequering at wrist and foreend and vacant silver escutcheon.

Significance

William Field, gunsmith, Birmingham, England, filed his patent - Letters Patent No. 200,041 - in December 1877, which was subsequently dated on the 5 February 1878. Field's patent was yet another variant to the now popular and common Martini breech-loading action, making improvements - at least in Field's opinion - to the falling block action, particularly in regards to the right hand side mounted lever, and to the internals of the action itself. Following the widespread introduction of the Martini Henry rifle as the standard British military longarm in 1870, it was quickly adopted and adapated by various gunsmiths, and found increasing use on sporting rifles. This particular rifle has been produced by the well-known and established English firm, I.Hollis & Sons, using Field's patent for the action.

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