THE BRITISH SHOTGUN: VOLUME ONE 1850-1870. By I.M. Crudgington and D.J. Baker. Second edition.

(1979) 1990 2nd edition. 4to (204 x 266mm). Pp256. B/w photographs, illustrations, bibliography. Dark red cloth, spine titled in gilt.

"This is an attempt to trace, as accurately as is now possible, the evolution of the shotgun during its formative years in Great Britain. Some of the developments of the period are known solely from the records of the patent office, others are mentioned in writings of the time, both magazine and book, and these sources have been extensively researched and are quoted from, where they add materially to our sknowledge. Finally, and of paramount importance, has been the study of actual surviving guns... Where possible the authors have shot with the guns concerned and, again, this aspect has yielded a valuable insight into the practical developments which took place during the relevant years." Chapters include; The origins; The Great Exhibition and its aftermath; John Henry Walsh, The Field and The Field Trials; Inert actions; Slide and drop actions; Side opening actions; Daw, Schneider and the Centre Fire; Sliding bolt single bite snap actions; Rotating bolt single bite snap actions; Multiple bite snap actions; Bizarre actions; The gadgetry of the centre fire; Hammerless actions. Appendices include: Small arms at the 1851 Exhibition; Programme and results of the Field Gun Trials 1858, 1859, 1866; Patent law and specifications; British shotgun patents 1850-1870.