Original British Charles Jones’s Patent Waterproof Lock .68cal Percussion Sporting Rifle Serial 240 – Circa 1850 Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. This is a beautiful percussion hunting rifle of approximately .68 caliber, probably 14 or 15 bore, most likely intended for “big game” as one might find when traveling to various parts of the Victorian British Empire. It was made by Charles Jones of London, and utilizes a very interesting “Waterproof” percussion lock system, which features an external cocking lever and internal hammer, with a sturdy sliding cover to protect the percussion cap once it has been fitted. There are also vent holes on either side to allow the gasses to escape. Definitely an interesting firing system, one of many designed in the mid 19th century prior to the introduction of sealed cartridges.

The sporting rifle is very well appointed, with a fantastic half stock that looks to be walnut, featuring a “flame” figured butt stock and horn nose cap. It has a checkered wrist and “pistol grip” style trigger guard, with carved cheek piece on the left side of the butt stock. All of the fittings are heavily engraved, and there is a great stag scene on the bottom of the trigger guard. The octagonal barrel is fantastic, showing a lovely “Damascus” style forging pattern in the finish, and it has the full name and address of the firm listed:-

CHARLES JONES’S PATENT, 26. ST JAMES’S STREET. LONDON.

This beautiful and interesting hunting rifle has an overall length of 46 ⅝ inches, fitted with a 30 inch heavily rifled barrel. It is marked on the top fitting for the lock cover with PATENT and serial number 240. The patent information for the waterproof lock system is engraved on the underside of the action in front of the trigger guard, using both block and script lettering:

CHARLES JONES’S.

PATENT Waterproof LOCK

with CONCENTRIC Sear & Trigger

We removed the barrel to check the proofs, and it is marked with serial number 240 on both the bottom of the barrel and on the breech plug. It also has the the CROWN / CROSSED SCEPTERS / BPC “proof” and CROWN / CROSSED SCEPTERS / V “viewed” marks from Birmingham. It was very common for London gunsmiths such as Jones to have barrels contract made in Birmingham, which had a booming gun industry.

The rifle is in truly lovely condition, with the stock looking to have been refinished sometime in the past 50 years. At this time, it looks like there were some repairs executed to the breech joint area, which had some missing wood as well as cracking. The waterproof lock and concentric sear & trigger take up a good amount of space, so the ramrod channel passes to the right of them, resulting in some structural weakness, which over time cracked. It looks like some wood may still be missing, which we have shown in the pictures.

The fittings on the rifle do show wear from use and cleaning, which has made some of the engraving a bit faint in areas, but the designs are still readily discernable. There is also a lovely silver escutcheon on the back of the wrist, which is currently blank, and there is a sling loop fitting on the bottom of the butt stock. The barrel is in great shape, showing the Damascus forging pattern well, and it has a long rail fitted on the bottom for the ramrod pipes as well as the front sling fitting. 

The firing system is fully functional, holding at half cock and firing at full. The cap nipple cone looks to be in very good condition, and the sliding cover moves back and forth easily. We checked the bore, and it still shows the rifling clearly, though there definitely has been some use and past fouling, now cleaned away. It has a lovely brass fitted original wooden ramrod under the barrel, which still has a fantastic clearing worm under a threaded brass cover on the smaller end.

A fantastic example of an mid 19th Century British hunting rifle with a very interesting “Waterproof” lock, ready to research and display! Opportunities like this do not come by very often at all!

Specifications:

Year of Manufacture: 1850
Caliber: .68 inches – 14 or 15 bore
Ammunition Type: Cap and Ball
Barrel Length: 30 inches 
Overall Length: 46 ⅝ inches
Action: Waterproof Percussion lock with Side Cocking Lever
Feed System: Muzzle-Loaded

NOTE: International orders of antique firearms MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services (courier). USPS Priority Mail international will not accept these. International customers should always consult their country’s antique gun laws prior to ordering.