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A John Wilkes 20g Boxlock Non-Ejector. Barrels have the 79 Beak St. Address, which the firm moved to in 1925. Based on an Anson & Deeley boxlock action with two triggers, automatic safety, and Scott spindle top lever. By this time, John Wilkes was run by John the Older’s eldest son Jack who continued to supply, produce, and market guns and rifles under his own name and to other makers with firearms and components made in both the London and Birmingham gun trades. A long time supplier for Wilkes was B’ham gunmaker, A.E. Bayliss’ and in a Bayliss catalog of the same era, there is an identical gun listed as a Model 910 Anson & Deeley “Field”. Moreover, these barrels are initialed on the bottom of the tubes, “A.E.B.”. 

Gun has 26” dovetail lump barrels with a smooth, concave game rib. The barrel flats show the gun originally proofed in B’ham (proof marks ca. 1904-1925) as a “21” bore (nominal bore diameter of .605”) for 7/8 oz. Load ( 2 ½" chambers). Guns chambers remain original at 2 ½" and gun was re-proofed in Birmingham in 1972 (re-proof B’ham proof marks ca. 1954 – 1989 B’ham proof marks and “BB” B’ham date code for 1972) at .615”, both measuring .620” with .005” choke in the right barrel and .007” in the left and .027” min-wall thickness in the right barrel and .028” in the left barrel.  

Straight hand grip and a splinter forend with Anson push rod forend latch. 14 3/8” LOP over a Silver’s rubber recoil pad.  

Gun shows signs of an old refinish to metal and wood. Stock oval remains blank and Obviously a Silver’s pad was installed along the way. Remains very good to excellent as refinished with barrels, furniture, and stock excellent and the color hardening thinning in places, but bright and vivid overall.  

Gun weighs 5 lbs. 8.4 oz and is quite lively in the hands.  

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