Haviland & Gunn 1871 Air Rifle

Haviland & Gunn 1871 Air Rifle

Pics copyright Holts auctioneers.

I initially followed the Holts ID of this rifle but Jimmie Dee spotted it was probably in fact the earlier 1871 model.

He pointed out:

• The cocking link is round wire style whereas the improved models all have square section cocking links.
• The front sight is just a pin where all others are refined blades in dovetail slots.
• The barrel is octagonal to round whereas all the improved model have round barrels.
• The improved model also uses screws instead of pins in the cocking pivots.
• The rear sight of the earlier H&G is ahead of the barrel locking latch whereas in the improved model, the rear sight is part of the barrel latch with the pivot pin running through it.
• The improved model has a butt plate with an integrated patch box on the underside.
• The Holt’s rifle has a simple plate that screws onto the end of the stock rather than into the top and bottom on the stock.

He concluded: "I think all of these features places it into the not improved earlier model [category].

"Smith’s book shows an advert on page 35 from an 1876 catalogue listing H&G’s rifles which lists the combination and air rifles. Hence pre-1880."