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C.G. Bonehill Shotgun

36K views 26 replies 16 participants last post by  Brent ethington 
#1 ·
I have a 12 GA side by side with exposed hammers made by C.G. Bonehill. I would appreciate anyone who could provide any information about the manufacturer , model #, or history of this gun. Thank you in advance for any imput you may have.
 
#2 ·
Name C G Bonehill
Other Names C G Bonehill Ltd
Address 1 33 Charlotte Street
Address 2 Belmont Firearms Works, Belmont Row
City/Town Birmingham
Country United Kingdom
Trade Gun & Rifle Maker
Other Address Morville Street; Price Street?
Dates 1872-1965
Notes
Christopher George Bonehill was born in 1831, son of a manufacturing ironmonger. He was apprenticed from about 1844 to 1851 to a Mr Aston (possibly William Aston & Co).
He established his own firm in 1851, but it was only in 1872 that he was recorded at 33 Charlotte Street with a factory in Morville Street.

In 1873 he moved the whole business to the Belmont Firearms Works, Belmont Row. It was probably about this time that the firm were appointed contractors to Her Majesty's War Department.

C G Bonehill was a Guardian of The Birmingham Proof House.

In 1880 he patented a shotgun action and stocks (No.1952).

In 1884 he registered four patents, No. 8469 covered barrels, No. 8471 covered a shotgun, and No.12586 taken out jointly with A J Simpson covered a shotgun.

In 1877 patent No. 3718 covered a shotgun action and in 1878 patent No. 2323 also covered a shotgun action.

In 1888 No.7823 covered double barrel breech actions and safety catches.

At about this time Thomas Naughton worked for the firm, he left in 1887 to join Holloway & Co as manager.

In 1895, patent No.12578 with A Tunstall covered a Martini action with a detachable barrel. There may have been another patent for a .22 conversion.

Virtually nothing is known about the firm from about 1900 to 1965 when they closed. Presumably, they contributed to the war effort 1914-1918, and presumably they suffered a lack of business in the period 1920-1935. From 1939 to 1965 they would have seen a gradual decline in business.

The firm were volume suppliers of sporting guns and rifles for export. They produced ball & shot guns and combination guns, and they made the Britannia air rifle. They were pioneers in the mechanisation of gun manufacture, making the "Belmont Interchangeable" shotguns.

From about 1900, C G Bonehill were the main suppliers of rifles to the "Society of Miniature Rifle Clubs". The Society was founded to encourage rifle shooting amongst working class men, and it was largely responsible for establishing smallbore rifle shooting as a sport in England. For this purpose, old .303 Martini-Enfield rifles were re-barrelled to .22 rimfire and sold at very reasonable prices.

Query ?? whether they had premises in Price Street?
 
#3 ·
I have a C G Bonehill 12 gauge side by side. I am missing the fore arm. The gun was left to me in my stepfathers estate. Are there any posibilities of finding a fore arm or do I consider trying to sell what I have. I have been told different stories about pricing and am totally at your discression. Thanks
 
#7 ·
This reply is to an old post (Aug.18,2008) by Warren Carter of Midway, KY. Warren, I have a forearm for a double barrel C.G.Bonehill shotgun that I will sell. I have all parts for the double-hammer shotgun except the barrels themselves. If you (or anyone else) is interested, please reply to this post with some type of contact information. Thanks.
 
#14 ·
Dear Sans Peur ... Thank You!!! It will become a family heirloom of sorts. I cleaned it just a bit and it is a good looking gun. My grandson (7) was with me when my cousin gave it to me and he was very interested in finding more about it. In fact he went to my computer and typed in the name and found this site. We are also in South Jersey. A nice addition to the story is that I have a wonderful picture of my g-grandfather to go along with the gun, his name was Lewis McCormick. Thank you again for taking the time to help me. Earl Cain
 
#15 ·
Misc Serial No. data point:

Recently bought a C G Bonehill with "New Model 1886" and "C G Bonehill London Fine Damascus" on the top rib. It is Serial Number 60615 clearly marked on the Watertable. It has Birminghan Proof Marks from 1875-1887 so it must have been made 1886-1887. The Serial Number is also on the Barrels. It appears to be the same but it is partially obscured by the Proof marks.

BTW, English Proof Marks can be seen at: http://www.shotguns.se/html/uk.html They can be used to decipher a date range of manufacture.

herringbone said:
I have a cg bonehill shotgun patnet no 37181877 serial number 30789.
That may be the Patent #3718 of 1887 that 'All Hat' posted. Your gun would have been made sometime after mine. If I remember correctly English Patents of the time ran for a fairly short period, possibly 5-10 years. So your gun may have been made 1887-1897. The lower Serial Number doesn't make sense compared to mine. Is it possible that it is something like 80789.
 
#16 ·
The available data on Bonehill numbering is such that it makes good sense to use patent dates and proof marks to help in dating a gun.
Quoting from Nigel Brown's "British Gunmakers" on Bonehill - "At one stage the the only numbers he put on his Interchangeable guns appear to have been a possible grading rather than numbering, e.g. IAIH,IAIE,ICIE,IDIE,IDIH & 161E.There may well be others."

Incidentally, the British patent protection duration was for 3 years originally, and then for a further 5 years on payment of an additional fee.
Shotgun technology was moving so fast around the mid to late 1800's that not many patentees paid that additional fee to continue patent protection.
 
#17 ·
Bob S - Thank you for the Proof web site. I mis-stated my guns SN, it is 64548. Its on both the barrels and forearm. The proof marks are 12B Not For Ball, under that is 14M, and the word choked, also there is an A6 between the barrels. This blog really has helped me estimate the age of my gun.
 
#18 ·
Hi Guys

Been going through the blog
Seems to be one of the most educational and informative on the web.

I am also into the inheritance of one of the Bonehill 12 Gauge Shotguns.

The one I have is in pretty good condition.

It has a lot I am looking into (just for interest) but if there is anyone that can provide info I would be grateful. Serial Number 146047 It is Nitro Proofed 1 1/4 whatever that means. It has many little stamps on it NP BV BP 13/1 439 (in a circle) a number 38 on the barrel 12 C in a diamond shape box both Barrels 2 3/4 one is choked and there is also a 431 or 481 in a circle

I started cleaning the metal work with a little rubbing fluid and the result is amazing.

Any input will be appreciated
 
#20 ·
stuartjonathangray:

You can find the meaning of the Proof Marks and there date used at: http://www.shotguns.se/html/uk.html

For example: the 'Nitro Proof 1 1/4' (w/o 'Shot' or 'Max') was used from 1904-1925. So your gun was made during that period. You may find that some of the other Proof Mark Dates limit that range.

The 12/C means 12 Ga Choked. The 13/1 means the bore measured 13 Ga when it was Proofed and the Proof Charge was that designed for a 13 Gauge. Don't know why but 13 was often the bore for English 12 Ga Shotguns.

'Nitro Proof' meant it was Proofed (fired with a heavy load of powder to assure it could withstand normal charges of powder) with modern 'Nitro' (Smokeless) Powders. The 1 1/4 desiginates the use of 1 1/4 Oz of Shot during the Proof.

BTW: I know of no way to determine if those 'Nitro' Pressures were higher or lower than the more modern Proof pressures, which are designated by actual pressures, or for that matter, of the older Blackpowder Proof pressures. Sherman Bell performed a series of pressure tests on Damascus barreled guns older than yours and they all passed modern Proof Pressures. Most people shoot low pressure shells out of respect for the old guns.
 
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