description

An unusual J. Woodward & Sons 12 bore back action hammer gun based on a perculiar action marked “Woodward’s Patent” on the breech face, but no patent registration seems to be available for this gun. Hold-open underlever gun with a unique scissor like bolting system in the action body that fit into horizontally cut bites in an ellongated lump on the barrels. Stanton rebounding, back-action locks, with hare’s ear hammers, percussion fences, and traditional small scroll engraving. 

The gun has 29” Damascus with 2 3/4” chambers (70mm) and a smooth, concave rib. The right barrel is bored .740” with little to no choke. The left barrel’s diameter is .736” with about .005” choke. Minimum wall thickness in both barres is right around .021”. Barrels were re-proved for Nitro in B’ham in 2015. Barrels are stamped “J.W.&S” on the bottom of the barrels. 

Original straight hand grip stock is nicely figured and has an engraved iron butt plate with a 14 1/2” LOP. Forend has a steel tip and cross slot wedge fastening. Original stock oval has the initials: JFM.

This gun, No. 3417, is mentioned, along with photos, in the recently published “James Woodward & Sons. It’s History and Enduring Legacy.” By Dr. Nicholas A. Harlow. In pages 31 - 32, Dr. Harlow confirms no patent seems to ever have been filed for this “Scissor Lock” action. He also states that 4 guns appear in the ledgers so marked “SB” which might have meant “Scissor Bolt”. 

Gun retains traces of original color on locks and action body. Gun was recently sympathetically refurbished by Toby Barclays of Heritage guns in the UK. Checkering and wood finish have been cleaned up and barrels re-browned. Gun is complete in a leather flat case that has been refined and has an appropriate J. Woodward & Sons trade label. 

Serial number suggests gun was made in the 1870’s, so gun qualifies as an antique. 

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