STEPHEN GRANT BACK ACTION SIDE LEVER HAMMER SXS BALL AND SHOT 10 GAUGE

A scarce and fascinating Victorian sporting arm by Stephen Grant & Sons, built in 1881 during the firm’s highly regarded early London period. This example is configured as a ball-and-shot gun, a versatile 19th-century sporting format intended for both round ball and shot cartridges.

The gun features 28" solid rib barrels bored cylinder (.775 / .777) specifically suited for ball use, with generous .032 and .030 wall thickness, and later nitro proofed for 2 7/8" chambers. Such configurations were often favored by sportsmen traveling abroad where a single firearm capable of both shot and ball offered tremendous practicality.

Mechanically, the gun is built on a back-action sidelock with side lever opening, an elegant and mechanically interesting system characteristic of early high-quality London hammer guns. It is fitted with double triggers, extractors, splinter forearm, and a pistol grip stock with cast-off, terminating in a traditional checkered butt.

The gun remains in very good condition, showing honest handling from storage and careful use while retaining strong mechanical integrity. It weighs 7 lbs 13 oz, with stock dimensions of 1¾" drop at heel, 1¼" drop at comb, and 14¾" length of pull, giving it lively yet controllable handling.

Presented cased, this Stephen Grant represents an intriguing example of a late-Victorian ball-and-shot sporting gun—a configuration rarely encountered today and an appealing piece for collectors interested in early British sporting arms or colonial-era hunting rifles and guns.