Unusual Joseph Lang & Sons (built 1886) underlever hammerless 12ga sideplated gun (happy now?) - Hampshire

[MelJones]

This is beautiful piece of London best-gun craftsmanship, something to really admire.  Sadly I don't get chance to get this out of the cabinet as often as I'd like and with some new projects in mind for this year, I need some additional cabinet space.  Asking £800 for a quick sale (there was considerable interest in this, and this is less than I paid).

The safety mechanism is a joy in its own right - the selector on the side is used to determine whether you want auto- or manual-safety.  Really quite a lovely feature.

Original Holts listing below:

JOSEPH LANG & SONS
A SCARCE 12-BORE 1880 PATENT PUSH-FORWARD UNDERLEVER TRIGGERPLATE ACTION SIDEPLATED NON-EJECTOR, serial no. 6093,
29in. nitro reproved damascus barrels, rib engraved 'JOSEPH LANG & SONS. 22. COCKSPUR STREET. PALL MALL. LONDON.' (rubbed), 2 1/2in. chambers, bored approx. imp. cyl. and 1/4 choke, Lang patent triggerplate action, patent no. 1422 of 7th April 1880 with removable striker discs, carved serpentine fences, Lang patent automatic lever safety, patent no. 133 of 1879 with gold-inlaid 'SAFE' detail, and with secondary side-mounted safety bolt, push-forward underlever, best fine bouquet and scroll engraving, 14 1/4in. stock (cracked and repaired at comb) repairs to fore-end wood (both minor) weight 6lb. 14oz.

Edited 22 hours ago by MelJones
Pedantry

[bruno22rf]

Sidelock? your title needs editing sir as it's clearly not a sidelock. Easy mishtake to make.

Edited yesterday at 18:29 by bruno22rf

[MelJones]

2 hours ago, bruno22rf said:

Sidelock? your title needs editing sir as it's clearly not a sidelock. Easy mishtake to make.

Apologies. Sideplated triggerplate action, as also stated in the listing. I admire your attention to detail, perhaps also apply it in your own post.

Edited 22 hours ago by MelJones

[bruno22rf]

33 minutes ago, MelJones said:

Apologies. Sideplated triggerplate action, as also stated in the listing. I admire your attention to detail, perhaps also apply it in your own post.

 If you mean "mishtake" it was a deliberate spelling implying that you may have been tipsy, it's called humour - you should try it sometime.

[6153ian]

Either way It’s a beautiful gun and not a “How to screw somebody’s sale” 🙄

[Old Boggy]

A lovely gun there which you`ll regret selling if it does go.

I had something similar by way of a Woodward `The Automatic` with the underlever cocking mechanism, albeit non ejector, but a joy to use nevertheless, as attached photos. First photo before restoration of the stock and a new fore-end.

Good luck with the sale.

OB

[MelJones]

Another lovely gun.  The view over the action, without a top lever, is lovely.  I find the underlever quite satisfying to use, for some odd reason - really suits how I reload!

[ozalid]

If I still shot game, instead of the once-yearly club SxS competitions, I would buy this in a heartbeat, its a really nice thing.

Good luck with the sale.

[Penelope]

On 07/01/2025 at 14:13, MelJones said:

This is beautiful piece of London best-gun craftsmanship, something to really admire.  Sadly I don't get chance to get this out of the cabinet as often as I'd like and with some new projects in mind for this year, I need some additional cabinet space.  Asking £800 for a quick sale (there was considerable interest in this, and this is less than I paid).

The safety mechanism is a joy in its own right - the selector on the side is used to determine whether you want auto- or manual-safety.  Really quite a lovely feature.

Original Holts listing below:

JOSEPH LANG & SONS
A SCARCE 12-BORE 1880 PATENT PUSH-FORWARD UNDERLEVER TRIGGERPLATE ACTION SIDEPLATED NON-EJECTOR, serial no. 6093,
29in. nitro reproved damascus barrels, rib engraved 'JOSEPH LANG & SONS. 22. COCKSPUR STREET. PALL MALL. LONDON.' (rubbed), 2 1/2in. chambers, bored approx. imp. cyl. and 1/4 choke, Lang patent triggerplate action, patent no. 1422 of 7th April 1880 with removable striker discs, carved serpentine fences, Lang patent automatic lever safety, patent no. 133 of 1879 with gold-inlaid 'SAFE' detail, and with secondary side-mounted safety bolt, push-forward underlever, best fine bouquet and scroll engraving, 14 1/4in. stock (cracked and repaired at comb) repairs to fore-end wood (both minor) weight 6lb. 14oz.

Oooo, that's nice!!