Product Details
A RARE .577 PERCUSSION BREECH-LOADING CARBINE, MODEL 'LEETCH PATENT PISTOL-CARBINE', serial no. '9',
circa 1860 and possibly for trials, with round tapering 17 1/2in. barrel, block and blade fore-sight, swivelling leaf rear-sight, shaped receiver with swing out reverse loading breech-block operating on an articulated chequered bolt, plain banana-shaped back-action lock, the side hammer with integral safety locking bolt, full chequered pistol-grip butt-stock (small chip at toe), iron furniture, chequered walnut splinter fore-end, London proofs
Other Notes: James Leetch of 24 Margaret St. Cavendish, London first submitted his carbine design to the Board of Ordnance in 1854. Initially considered for an order, it was later rejected on the grounds of lack of manufacturing capacity, its place being taken by the American made Sharps. However, by 1859, demand for carbines was high and a company was set up to manufacture the Leetch design. The Breech Loading Gun Co was situated at 29 Marylebone St, London and had F. Robert Beasley as Secretary and Robert Scott as Manager. These later carbines differed from the original in having a solid butt-stock as opposed to a skeleton design. It is believed this is a trials pattern in that it has the large No. 9 stamped in the butt, commercial London proofs and complete absence of the address markings which are usually associated with later produced pieces
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Estimate £1,200-1,600