{"product_id":"english-breech-loading-flintlock-rifle-by-benjamin-griffin-ref-x3620","title":"English Breech Loading Flintlock Rifle by Benjamin Griffin. Ref X3620","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNoSpacing\"\u003eA Very Rare English Breech Loading Flintlock Rifle by Benjamin Griffin.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNoSpacing\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #ff2a00;\"\u003eMissed out on this item? Click to view all current\u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/em\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/antiquearmsandarmour.com\/collections\/longarms\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAntique Muskets, Rifles \u0026amp; Sporting Guns\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e  \u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #ff2a00;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eFree UK delivery on all items\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNoSpacing\"\u003e50 \u003cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e½” overall, 35 ½” 18 bore rifled barrel with 12 grooves, top flat engraved ‘Griffin \u003cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eLondon’,  London Gunmakers Company Proofs and ‘F’ foreigner’s mark of B. Griffin. Standing rear sight \u0026amp; plain tang. Trigger guard operated rising screw barrel plug to expose loading port. The flat bolted lock faintly engraved ‘Griffin’, swan necked cock \u0026amp; spoon shaped pan. Walnut \u003cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ehand rail full stock with plain iron mounts with later brass side plate There is no provision for a ramrod.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNoSpacing\"\u003eA very rare gun in well used condition, engraving very rubbed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNoSpacing\"\u003eCirca 1740.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNoSpacing\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;\"\u003eBenjamin Griffin. Apprenticed to Samuel Harrison, 1719; gave up apprentice and worked as Foreign gunmaker allowed to prove guns by Gunmakers Co., 1724-31. Told to give up work by Gunmakers CO., but traded as gunmaker (Successor to Samuel Garrison), Bond St., 1735-70. Registered silversmiths mark, Goldsmiths Hall, 1743. With son, Joseph, took out Sun Ins. (No. 159594) on goods at Cross \u0026amp; Griffin, New Bond Street., 1757. Died 1770.         \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNoSpacing\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background: white;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #222222; background: white;\"\u003eIsaac de la Chaumette invented this form of breech-loading action in 1700 and patented it in England in 1721.\u003c\/span\u003e pre dates Ferguson's patent, but is similar in operation in that the trigger guard rotates to expose loading port. Ferguson's patent allowed a turn \u0026amp; a half of a lever to expose the loading aperture on top of barrel, in this adaptation, trigger guard \u0026amp; plug must be completely removed from the bottom \u0026amp; then screwed back into place. Each operation takes 8 turns.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNoSpacing\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003e                                                                                                                      \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNoSpacing\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"West Street Antiques","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55540628226424,"sku":"X3620","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0442\/7107\/5481\/files\/Breech-Loading-Flintlock-Rifle-Griffin-antique-gun-for-sale-uk-x3620a_f57d5922-abde-48f4-b930-fa125a749b73.jpg?v=1777289420","url":"https:\/\/antiquearmsandarmour.com\/products\/english-breech-loading-flintlock-rifle-by-benjamin-griffin-ref-x3620","provider":"West Street Antiques","version":"1.0","type":"link"}