Where can you find information on a 12 gauge under lever hammer shotgun by E M Reilly of London serial 15346?

Answer 1

Hope this helps - it's taken me about 10 years to get this far and more information turns up every now and again. The makers name and/or address will give an indication of the age of the gun. Peter Jones REILLY GUN MANUFACTURERS

HISTORY

1816 : JOSEPH CHARLES REILLY in business at 12 Middle Row, Holborn,

London. Occupation listed as “Jeweller’.

1826 : A son, Edward Michael, was born.

1835 – 1847: JOSEPH CHARLES REILLY [Also as J C REILLY ] in business as

a gunmaker at 316 High Holborn, London. [Joseph Manton’s old premises].

Joined at some time by his son, Edward Michael as a partner – the 1841 census listed Edward as a ‘Gunmaker’.

1840 : J C REILLY at 316 High Holborn mentioned as a ‘gunmaker’ in Blaine’s Rural

Sports

1841 : JOSEPH REILLY is mentioned in the poem ‘Shooting’ by Alexander Webber,

published in this year.

1848 : Business moved to 502, Oxford Street, London.

1850 : E M REILLY published his ‘Treatise on Air Guns’

Trade labels advertised ‘Air Canes for Sale’

Reilly, a London gunmaker specialising in air guns, writing around 1850 states

that he was able to produce a pressure of a little under 500 pounds per square

inch using the direct stroke pump of the time. Quote taken from Reilly’s ‘Air

Guns and other Air Weapons’ a short pamphlet reprinted in 1995 by W.S.Curtis

Publishers, Rhyl, Clwd

1851 : E M REILLY of Oxford Street exhibited air guns at the Great Exhibition.

Known to have been influenced by the breechloaders shown by Lefaucheaux of Paris and was ‘overdone with orders’.

c.1850 – 1870 the business took part in breechloader v muzzleloader trials with [amongst others] Lancaster, Needham and Lang. Placed tenth in a trial of 58 and eleventh in 59.

Produced rifles on the C E Green & J Green patent – a ‘capping breech loader’ that had a rudimentary cartridge ignited by an external cap fired by a conventional side hammer.

Sold James Dougal ‘Lockfast’ breechloaders under licence and guns designed by Lieutenant Francis Bacon.

Also rifles built on a system designed by Major Nutall although these may have been made by Thomas Turner.

1854 : Known to be selling self-cocking Tranter revolvers on the Adams Patent and utilising the Tranter’s rammer. Serial numbers thought to start at 2200T.

1857 : J C[Father] and E M [Son] REILLY part company.

E M REILLY retains the 502, Oxford Street address.

1859 : E M REILLY moved to 316, High Holborn. Name changed to REILLY & CO.

1861 : Name changed to E M REILLY & CO

Advertisement in ‘Bradshaws’ shows 315 & 502 Oxford Street.

1869 : Granted Patent No. 1259 for an exploding bullet for long-range use against

artillery ammunition wagons.

1870 – 1874 : During this period the business appeared to specialise in ornate,

gold engraved weapons including pistols and revolvers.

c1880 : Advertisement in Burke’s Landed Gentry publication shows premises at

Oxford Street and Rue Scribe, Paris.

Advert shows two top lever hammer shotguns, one round action and the other a square action. It lists ‘Latest improved chokes which never wear out. Guns from 10 guineas. Light 20 bores and really good shooting chokebores, suitable for game or sea-fowl. Latest stock of Express rifles and a new calibre [unstated] for antelope and deerstalking. Immediate trial at their private shooting grounds in Wood Lane, Shepherds Bush’

1881 : Advertised in Wisden [Cricket] Wildfowling guns from £11 and Gamekeepers

guns from £6:10:00.

1882 : Trade label shows 315 Oxford Street as the main address with 502 and Rue

Scribe as subsidiaries

Label advertises ‘Self closing actions, rebounding locks, breech loaders and double rifles all with the latest approved systems.’

A trade label of this period also shows “Reilly’s Armoury House” at 315 Oxford Street with 502, Oxford Street as their principal address.

1883 : Registered at 16 New Oxford Street [This was next door to the earlier 316

High Holborn address] This is thought to be a street renumbering not a change

of location. Also recorded at 277 Oxford Street.

Holt’s ‘Shooting Calendar’ for this year reported the number of wins at live pigeon shooting competitions by London made guns as : Reilly 82, Purdey 55, Lang 48, Grant 40, Hodges 34 and Holland 8.

A trade label of this period shows “16, New Oxford Street, 277, Oxford Street & 29, Rue Du Fabourg, St Honore, Paris.”

1884 : Awarded a Gold Medal in the London Exhibition.

1886 : Advertisement in Burke’s Landed Gentry publication shows premises at

277 Oxford Street, 16, New Oxford Street and Rue Scribe, Paris.

Advert shows two hammerless double barrel shotguns, one top lever the other an underlever. Lists ‘Hammerless guns with all the latest improvements including the interposing block safety. Trial available at our private shooting grounds. Wild fowl guns, express rifles and miniature and magnum express. Superior rook rifles and British Army revolvers.’

1887 : Trade label advertises ‘By special appointment to His Majesty the King of

Spain; His Majesty the King of Portugal; His Majesty the King of the Netherlands.’

1898/9 : Succeeded to his fathers business on his death.

1903 : Due to extensive rebuilding in Oxford Street the business moved to 295 Oxford

Street. A gun built c1905 also carries his late father’s address of 12 Middle Row,

Holborn on the top rib.

1911 : Became a Limited Company in December; directors were H REILLY &

C W ROBERTS.

A trade label advertised ‘Double guns in pairs. Double and single rifles. Pistols of every description. Patent revolvers. Manufacturer of improved airguns and air canes. Large assortment always ready for India and emigrants to all parts of the globe.

1912 : Registered at 13, High Street, Marylebone.

1917 : Incorporated into the business of Charles Riggs & Co

of 107, Bishopsgate London.

1924 : An ‘introduction’ by Riggs for Reilly guns states “Reilly needs no comment here,

having been established for almost 100 years and it’s reputation for

craftsmanship and value is a household word”

c1966 : Charles Riggs ceased trading.

2001 : The name “E M Reilly & Company Gun Manufacturers Ltd” is now owned

by ;

Newton & Co [Chartered Accountants]

Ranmore House

19 Ranmore Road

Dorking

Surrey RH4 1HE

Tel : 01306 884208

newton-co@tiscali.co.uk

The business is described as ‘dormant’. I have been unable to obtain a

response from the present owners about their intentions for the business.

GENERAL INFORMATION

REILLY does not appear to have been a ‘gunmaker’ and the business describes itself as ‘gun manufacturers’. Guns were known to be made for the business c1867 by Henry Jones of Birmingham and later by Thomas Turner

Except for the bullet patent in 1869 there is no evidence that any ‘Reilly’ invented or patented designs of their own but appeared to use designs made under licence.

For example:

A breech system patented by C E Green & J Green in 1862

Shotguns under the 1874 Scott patents

James Dalziel Douglas ‘Lockfast’ breech loading weapons

Guns designed by Lieutenant Francis Bacon

Rifles built on a system designed by Major Nutall

A large number of Colt and Tranter revolvers plus derringer type pistols were also sold. These retained their manufacturers numbering system and were often cased and highly engraved. They were all marked with Reilly’s name, and sometimes address, on the backstrap or action frame.

Such notables as Sir Samuel Baker and F. C. Selous took E. M. Reilly guns with them to Africa.