Alex Martin 16 Gauge SxS Shotgun — Mfr. 1945

Manufactured in 1945, 16 Gauge double-barrel shotguns were quite popular in America at the time. These box-lock SxS’s are a great, strong and appreciating addition to any collection. This particular Alex Smith Ltd. SxS shotgun features original hand-engraving to the receiver and barrels, English buttstock and splinter forend with excellent factory checking on both, wears 26½” barrels choked at Imp.Mod./Full, sports 2½” chambers with ejectors, has double triggers and measures with a LOP of 14¾”. Total weight is 5 lbs & 14ozs!

Overall this rare piece of history is in 80%+ condition. Engravings are nice and crisp, wood is excellent, metals are shiny with scattered case coloring remaining, and the bores are flawless. No rust to be found. There is little doubt this Alex Martin side-by-side is original, apart from the addition of the Decelerator recoil pad.

The collectible shotgun was made by A.A. Brown & Sons, a very good gun maker to the trade. It carries the original 16 gauge Birmingham proof marks for a gun made before 1954. The shotgun also carries the Birmingham re-proof stamping post-1954, hence marked ‘.669’ (imperial measurement 9 inches from the breach in each tube) and ‘BNP’ with a crown above it. The gun has been re-proved at some point after 1954, perhaps some work done to the barrels, that took it out of its original proof designation (it was proved at 16 gauge which is .662, so a bore enlargement of .007).

Attached is a copy of the Provenance Letter from John Dickson & Son of Scotland, UK.