William Billinghurst Jr., Buggy Rifle, Shooter's Box, Detachable Stock & Accessories

Medium Frame, 10-inch .28-caliber barrel, no serial number.

The firearm has a round/octagon barrel which was originally blued. The blue has turned blue/brown with age, the tang retains about 80% original case coloring. The sights are original, the front hooded sight retains its original glass disk with center aiming dot. Excellent bore. Sparse but quality leaf-like engraving on flats of top strap; screw securing strap is engraved; top strap displays two-line border engraving. The depressed area on the rear tang provides space for the scope mounts rotating elevation knob. One of the outstanding features is that the gun retains an its original fine glass lens in the front sight with an aiming dot. (It is almost unheard of that these survive.) The trigger mechanism is a cam which is beautifully designed to securely cock and yet release with very little pressure.

The shooter's case is made of tinned sheet iron and is typical of those found in New England and New York State. Complete with accessories including bullet starter, Billinghurst mold, flask (Riling #412) and Ely Brothers cap tin; Round labeled paper cap box with label of Hicks Brothers of Waterbury, Connecticut, and a small period oilcan. Bullet mold is unquestionably typical of Billinghurst and ONLY Billinghurst.

William Billinghurst Jr. (1842-1873) was the only son of the senior Billinghurst and apprenticed in his father's shop until he was 21. Then as an established journeyman it is assumed that he continued to work for his father and evidently built a few guns on his own. We know of two, one pictured in the Swinney book and this one (See "Reference"). We assume that perhaps one or two more are out there, however his production was very limited. Billinghurst Jr. died of consumption about 9 years after completing his apprenticeship. He died without heirs, all his possessions went back to his father, including the one completed gun pictured on page 260 (Swinney) which was then given to Billinghurst Sr's wife Caroline.

Date: 1860s

Measurement: Overall: 17.5"

Material: Beautifully grained walnut stock

Condition: Excellent, smooth mechanics; tight fissure to right side of wrist with very early tiny wood pin

Reference: The New York State Firearms Trade by H.J. Swinney, Compiled by Tom Rowe, Rochester, NY 2003. Pages 259 & 260.

$12,200

SKU: 308-622

For More Information, Please Contact David Hillier at 978-597-8084 or email drh@aaawt.com.

Please click on images to expand.