New One for the Cabinet

[Jimmy Goodtime]

Fortunate to have added this Henry Atkin to the cabinet recently. Choked F/F with 30” barrels, I hope to knock down a few ducks with it sometime.

[Stan Hillis]

That's a looker, Jimmy. And, a side lever to boot!

F and F should do the job.

Pics when it happens!

[DarylC]

Certainly is a looker. Me, being a southpaw, looks like that lever is set up for a lefty.

[Jimmy Goodtime]

Stock is definitely cast off for a righty. Quite handy and ergonomic, though I have opened it wrong handed and it seems quite intuitive that way as well. Makes you wonder why the top lever won out and not too many side levers were produced?

[DarylC]

To me, the Parker underlever was the most ergonomic design to open a shotgun action.

[Foxnut]

That wood is dynamite!!! Lovely gun. How is it proofed?

[ROMAC]

As a lefty myself, I prefer the thumb lever right where it is.

For me, it's one smooth motion to open the action.

[Jimmy Goodtime]

That wood is dynamite!!! Lovely gun. How is it proofed?

Here is a photo of the proof marks:

Hope to get a copy of the ledger as there are some interesting features on this gun.

[Jimmy Goodtime]

That's a looker, Jimmy. And, a side lever to boot!

F and F should do the job.

Pics when it happens!

The first of I hope many!

Need some big ducks under it’s belt, but hard to know when those will show up down south as you know.

[Jeff S]

Congratulations on the wood duck. Nice picture.

[Stan Hillis]

As a lefty myself, I prefer the thumb lever right where it is.

For me, it's one smooth motion to open the action.

Actually, I'm right handed and the only side lever gun I own has the lever on the right side, as per the gun pictured. I find it more ergonomic with it on the right and me being right handed. Even though it's necessary to swing my thumb over the wrist to the right side it requires much less contortions than if the lever were on the left side, for me. When I swing my thumb over it is dead above the lever "pad" and I only need to press straight down.

I tried opening it with my left hand, after reading this thread, which would replicate a lefty doing so, and found that I needed to move the gun laterally a little (sideways) to make it work right. It is my opinion that all the English guns made with these side levers on the right side were intended for right handed shooters.

[DarylC]

As a lefty myself, I prefer the thumb lever right where it is.

For me, it's one smooth motion to open the action.

Actually, I'm right handed and the only side lever gun I own has the lever on the right side, as per the gun pictured. I find it more ergonomic with it on the right and me being right handed. Even though it's necessary to swing my thumb over the wrist to the right side it requires much less contortions than if the lever were on the left side, for me. When I swing my thumb over it is dead above the lever "pad" and I only need to press straight down.

I tried opening it with my left hand, after reading this thread, which would replicate a lefty doing so, and found that I needed to move the gun laterally a little (sideways) to make it work right. It is my opinion that all the English guns made with these side levers on the right side were intended for right handed shooters.

I'm sure as Roger can attest to just about everything ever invented was intended for right handed people. We as lefties have adjusted.

[DarylC]

As a lefty myself, I prefer the thumb lever right where it is.

For me, it's one smooth motion to open the action.

Actually, I'm right handed and the only side lever gun I own has the lever on the right side, as per the gun pictured. I find it more ergonomic with it on the right and me being right handed. Even though it's necessary to swing my thumb over the wrist to the right side it requires much less contortions than if the lever were on the left side, for me. When I swing my thumb over it is dead above the lever "pad" and I only need to press straight down.

I tried opening it with my left hand, after reading this thread, which would replicate a lefty doing so, and found that I needed to move the gun laterally a little (sideways) to make it work right. It is my opinion that all the English guns made with these side levers on the right side were intended for right handed shooters.

I'm sure as Roger can attest to just about everything ever invented was intended for right handed people. We as lefties have adjusted.

[ROMAC]

I’ve become ambidextrous for a lot of things but shooting is not one of them. I’m totally left eye dominant.

Finding gun with cast on over just neutral is rare.

[Jimmy Goodtime]

I received the ledger on this Henry Atkin. Unfortunately, there was not much information detailing the shotgun. It was completed in 1901 and sold to Sir J Duke. It simply stated it as a 12 Bore, Best side lever, hammerless ejector, Number 2 of a pair. Some things I found interesting about this shotgun are that it is obviously a sidelever, it is a round body action, and it was originally proofed for 1 1/4oz loads giving it original 2 3/4" chambers. Also, the barrels are stamped H.S. on the underside, presumably as being supplied by Henry Squires, a well-known barrel maker and supplier to the best makers of the period.