According to Nigel Brown in his book "London Gunmakers" on page 104, the maker’s records indicate that this gun was completed in 1901 as a single barrel wildfowling shotgun. It was subsequently converted to a rifle in Australia with a new barrel being constructed and fitted to the action, the conversion undertaken in 1995. With blued heavy octagonal to round rifled barrel signed on the matted top flat at the breech end “E.J. CHURCHILL. (GUNMAKERS) LTD. / 32 ORANGE STR. LEICESTER SQUARE LONDON. W.C.2.” and respectively engraved “CASE 4.25”. BULLET 2040 GRS. MAX.” and “CHARGE 5 GRS. FFFG / 105 GRS. WIN. 571.” With matted block mounted bead front sight with flip-up moon sight and single rear notch sight engraved “50 YDS”. The flanks of the breech end of the barrel finely engraved with scrollwork, the underside of the barrel beneath the forearm engraved “NEW BARREL BY CENTURY ARMS. MELBOURNE.” marked with imported details and marked with imitation proof marks. Giant casehardened boxlock action engraved with further scrollwork, signed “E.J. CHURCHILL” on each side, and with manual safety, blued toplever and blued floorplate, the latter engraved with the “EJC” monogram. Furniture including casehardened trigger plate, blued trigger guard and casehardened pistol grip cap. Figured 14 3/4 inch semi-pistol grip stock with brown leather wrapped recoil pad and checkered grip and forearm, the latter with large dark horn cap. The underside of the butt with silver oval initial escutcheon engraved with a monogram and with a blued sling eye, the corresponding sling eye mounted beneath the barrel. Weight 19 lbs. 7 oz. With original 42 1/2 inch octagonal to round smoothbore shotgun barrel, the top flat of the breech section signed “E.J. CHURCHILL GUN & RIFLE MANUFACTURER. 8 AGAR ST. STRAND. LONDON. W.C.”, and with own forearm. In brass bound oak takedown case lined in blue baize, with accessories including cleaning rod, turnscrews, large nickel oiler engraved “E.J. CHURCHILL (GUNMAKERS) LTD.”, nickel firing pin pot with spare gold washed firing pin, leather sling and leather cartridge pouch for four cartridges. With brown leather covered booklet by Century Arms, Melbourne detailing the build of the rifle and the history, load data, and performance of the 4 Bore Rewa cartridge. Provenance: The Malcolm King Collection

Very fine as refurbished. The barrel and action retain nearly all the renewed finishes. The stock, expertly replaced at time of conversion to its current rifle configuration, is in excellent condition with occasional scattered storage and handling blemishes and minor handling wear to the leather wrapped butt pad. Mechanically excellent. The shotgun barrel retains 99% renewed blacked finish with some scattered spots of light surface corrosion, the forearm wood replaced at the same as the rifle was restocked. Case remains in excellent condition.