LARGE & HEAVY** C1855 English Sanderson (Possibly ‘Elephant King‘ George P. Sanderson) 4 Bore Black Powder Big Game Percussion Elephant Gun For Use With ¼ Pound Lead Ball Of 1” Diameter. Sn 21370 4 Bore/gauge Muzzleloader

**LARGE & HEAVY** C1860 English Sanderson (Possibly ‘Elephant King‘ George P. Sanderson) 4 Bore Black Powder Big Game Percussion Elephant Gun For Use With ¼ Pound Lead Ball Of 1” Diameter. Sn 21370 - 21370

A substantial 4 Bore sporting gun by Sanderson c.1860 suitable for hunting elephant and other dangerous big game. Until the late 1870s, with the advent of large calibre breach loaders - and ultimately the nitro express double rifles at the end of that century - the single barrel smooth bore muzzle loading 4 bore was the most potent manageable option for hunting elephant, firing a quarter pound lead ball of one inch diameter. By default these big sporting pieces became known as "Elephant guns", but were actually multi-use weapons that could be used for shooting anything. Large smooth bores were favoured by the best known big game hunters of the era such as George P. Sanderson in India, Frederick Selous, William Finaughty and Sir Samuel Baker - and before that, Petrus Jacobs, a legend among the earlier Boer Elephant hunters who were armed with similar smooth bores - initially flintlocks and later percussion. Between 1874 and 1876 Selous killed 78 Elephant with a 4 bore muzzle loader. George Peress Sanderson (1848– 5 May 1892, Madras) was a renowned British big game hunter, later naturalist who worked in the public works department in the princely state of Mysore. He began a system for capturing wild elephants that were destructive to agriculture so as to use them in captivity. He was known in the popular press as the "Elephant King" and wrote a book on his life in the forests of India. Rudyard Kipling is believed to have modelled the character "Petersen Sahib" in his Toomai of the Elephants after him. With such primitive guns it was necessary for the hunter to shoot from very close range, so sights and rifling were of no advantage, and smooth bores were generally favoured by professional hunters. These could be reloaded more quickly than early rifles, kicked less, penetrated more and didn't twist in the hand. Early on, elephants were typically shot from horseback, enabling the rider to escape from a wounded animal to reload, often requiring multiple shots for a kill. This back action percussion smooth bored example has a 35" barrel with a sighting plane and bead foresight and weighs in at around 13lbs. The bore has light staining & residue consistent with age & use. The gun is in very good overall condition. It is surprisingly wieldy for such a massive gun, quick to point and balances nicely. The gun measures 52” overall length. The all original Walnut wood furniture with chequered wrist & fore stock and polished horn fore end cap are excellent. The stock has a steel butt plate. The action plate, heavy hammer, trigger guard with extended tang & Pineapple finial have excellent foliage engraved decoration. The action plate is also signed ‘Sanderson’ (we cannot find a period maker named Sanderson in our books, could this gun have been owned by the famous ‘Elephant King’ George Peress Sanderson?). The gun has a wood ram rod with white metal end cap. The price for this quality piece worthy of further research regarding the signature on the action plate includes UK delivery. NB As an obsolete calibre black powder weapon no licence is required to own this item in the UK if retained as part of a collection or display. Sn 21370

£1,945.00