A Very Rare Cased Adams Percussion Revolving Rifle. 45” overall, 26 ½” browned twist octagonal .577 / 24 bore sighted barrel fitted with blued folding back sight calibrated to 300 yards, windage adjustable fore sight, numbered '444 No 24' on bottom of barrel. London proofs, top strap signed 'DEANE ADAMS & DEANE, NO.30 KING WILLIAM ST. LONDON BRIDGE'. Borderline & scroll engraved solid frame engraved ‘Adams Patent No11818R’, applied nipple shield to left hand side, five shot cylinder numbered 11818R, the hammer enclosed within a scroll engraved shroud behind the cylinder. Chequered walnut butt stock, iron heel plate & iron trigger guard bow with chequered flat front. In its original fitted oak case lined in green baize, with some contemporary accessories, including an Adams 28 bore bullet mould, sporting powder flask, powder measure, oil bottle, turn screw & nipple key, the lid with trade label for 30 King William Street.
Number 444 Circa 1855
A very rare rifle in good condition, barrel with an old rebrown. I have only been able to fine evidence of two other rifles in this calibre, neither in good condition or cased.
A relatively small number of these revolving rifles were produced, in calibres between 24,32,36,38,54 and 80 bore. An example numbered 7756 and 128 is preserved in the Imperial War Museum, London, cat. No. FIR7831. Robert Adams patented his improvements in Rifles and Other Firearms in 1851, patent number 13,527.