Thread: British barrel marking (maker’s mark)

Late 1800’s sporting rifle
Anyone know who made it?

I'm away from my books...not that I'm expert at all.

From your picture I'm reading "h (w?) m h" with an E S in there. ES could be proof mark, is that a crown over the middle of it?
HH could be holland and holland. or HRH his royal highness.

Any extra clues? Single, Double, action type, chambering, proof marks?

Single barrel
Field's patent falling block
Henry rifling A&T barrel

" T Mabbitt " on barrel under fore end

450 #1 Express BPE

Bore is nearly mint

I fired this rifle this morning and @rambo-6mmrem fired his Martini 450 no1 Express as well
Pretty awesome having two circa 1880 450 no1 Express rifles together shooting the same loads

Nice. Very nice.

Yep good thing I had brass eh (thanks to you)

Bump

Another image



Additional info

It has a stamped maker or assembler under the fore end on barrel

"T. MABBITT"

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Another image

Attachment 242495

Additional info

It has a stamped maker or assembler under the fore end on barrel

"T. MABBITT"

Rifle was thick with grease and rubbish



What makes the Field's such a good action is the low number of parts

that grease may well have helped preserve it over the years.... looks like a fine firearm..couldnt think of a better home for it.

Originally Posted by akaroa1

Rifle was thick with grease and rubbish

Attachment 242497

What makes the Field's such a good action is the low number of parts

Attachment 242498

Well bugger me, the block actuation lever has lugs on both sides, based on my peering at the patent drawing for some reason I'd imagined it as asymmetric. Very nice.

Originally Posted by Tentman

Well bugger me, the block actuation lever has lugs on both sides, based on my peering at the patent drawing for some reason I'd imagined it as asymmetric. Very nice.

@Tentman remove one small screw and the block comes out the top

Yes the dual actuators mean it's a very smooth action

I have made some progress on tracking down this makers mark

What I took to be T Mabbitt which was a double struck makers name under the barrel would seem to be T Mabbutt of the Abingdon Works.

Thomas Mabbutt was works manager there for some time.





So now that I have the correct spelling I have found this about Mabbutt in a post on doublegunshop


Abingdon Works was a manufacturing partnership formed in 1867 in Shadwell Street to supply the trade. The partners were Frederick and Henry Woodward (see Thomas Woodward), Charles Playfair and Thomas Bentley (see Bentley & Playfair), William Bourne (son of Joseph Bourne?), Charles Pryse and Richard Redman (see Pryse & Redman), Charles Cooper and John Dent Goodman (see Cooper & Goodman; Scholefield, Goodman & Sons Ltd; Birmingham Small-Arms Co.), John Field Swinburn, Joseph Smith, and Joseph Wilson.

It would seem the partnership was not too successful, so in 1875 the assets were sold a newly formed company, Abingdon Works Ltd in which William Middleditch Scott was the largest shareholder. The other shareholders were the former partners plus Thomas Mabbutt who was appointed managing director (see Thomas Mabbutt). The company took over W C Scott & Sons premises at 94-97 Bath Street but continued to occupy the premises in Shadwell Street.

Mabbutt together with Westley Richards and Thomas Batley had bought 53,610 Snider actions from Edwin H Newby. Mabbutt sold his share in these to the new company.

The company made Snider, Martini, Chassepot, Henry and Swinburn rifles and actions, and Field actions for BSA. They also made gunmaking tools and gun and rifle accessories.

Abingdon Works Co Ltd went into voluntary liquidation in 1889. However, another company of the same name traded until about 1907 making Snider rifles and Gatling machine guns, this was owned by the Cartland family but it appears it was managed by Thomas Mabbutt.

This places Thomas Mabbutt right in the middle of the Birmingham Gun Trade and also associated with William Field.
Because Field's only made actions it is highly likely that forgings and parts were jobbed out around Birmingham and his company pulled them all together, fitted and finished them as and when required.

I now just want to establish which of the various permutations of the Birmingham Gunmakers this Makers Mark is from