.577” Jas Kerr, London Armoury Co MkIII, three band Snider service rifle.
£1495
.577” Jas Kerr, London Armoury Co MkIII, three band Snider service rifle. Pattern 1853 swivel link lock with correct MkIII flat faced hammer is struck with a Crowned VR to the tail and signed to the front of the hammer L.A.C. JAs KERR & Co 54 KING WILLIAM St E.C. Walnut stock with regulation pattern brass furniture has slotted jag head rammer to the underside with three Baddeley pattern snag free barrel bands and is struck to the right side with a LONDON ARMOURY Jas KERR & Co 54 KING WILLIAM St EC roundel. Barrel rifled with three broad grooves of Minnie pattern is struck with London Victorian commercial proof marks next to LAC factory inspection mark and is fitted with a ladder rear sight graduated to 950 yards. London proofed MkIII locking block shoe is stamped LONDON ARMOURY and LAC next to SNIDERS PATENT over stamped with a WD Broad Arrow mark next to a large 3 indicating the barrel was sold as one of three to fit the stock comprising of a .577” muzzle loading barrel, a .451” muzzle loading match barrel and this the breech loading Snider barrel. The other two barrels were probably lost as most were when the muzzle loaders fell from both military and competition use shortly after this rifle was made and so were no longer needed or used. Made to the regulation military pattern for sale to a volunteer soldier or target shooter of the mid Victorian age and retailed by James Kerr, one of the co owners of the London Armoury Company, who sold selected examples of these fully interchangeable arms from his factory for sale to gentlemen volunteers through his London retail shop in King William Street. In good condition with good bore and mechanics, a nice sharp well marked stock and blue finish turning to brown with age. A nice example of a volunteer Snider by one of the most famous military arms makers of the Victorian age.
