This page has been extracted from Pages 224e and 224f of John Henry Walsh's "The Modern Sportsman's Gun and Rifle V1 : Game and Wildfowl Guns (1882)" and reviews aspects of shotgun design adopted by W. R. Leeson based upon patents held by P Webley & Son and illustrates another variation of the "third bite" bolting system. I can make no apologies for the Victorian style of English used by Mr. Walsh !!

The peculiarity of the bolts now under notice is that they combine the old grip draw with the Purdey snap-bolt. The latter is nearly of the ordinary form, and is actuated in the usual way by a cam at the bottom of the spindle, which is raised from below into the centre of the lever head, the two being held together by a screw, which keeps both to their bearings.

The several parts are shown in the above section in combination, as applied to the Anson and Deeley locks, but it may be combined very nearly as well with the Gibbs and Pitt top-lever action and side-lock, or with any other top lever action, with or without hammers, The novelty consists in cutting a fine square threaded screw on the perpendicular head (Fig. 2, A) of the top lever, which

is made of tempered steel, and enlarged for that purpose. This screw-head contains within it, as above described, the spindle (B) working, the cam (Fig. 2, B). The screw-head fits into a. female screw cut in the top of the break-off behind the doll's head, so that the upper flange of the male screw and the under one of the female only are in close contact, by which means all danger of "setting" is avoided. The spind1e works the cam B, which latter actuates the under bolt D in the usual manner. The entire combination is worked by the top lever C, fitting securely into the square recessed head of the screw-grip, all being firmly bound together by a screw pin (Fig. 1, F). The spring (Fig. 1, G) actuating both the Purdey bolt and the screw grip is a spiral one, app1ied to the end of the bolt D, Fig. 2, by means of the spring bar E. The extended rib of the barrel is held down by the head of the screw grip engaging with it on closing the gun.

A beautifully designed pigeon gun with these bolts was brought to my notice by Mr. Leeson of Ashford the workmanship of which was of a very high quality and I cannot but think the combination an admirable one, and particularly well adapted for guns used with heavy charges, while at the same time its manipulation was extremely smooth and easy. The plan is the invention of Mr. Thos, W. Webley and of Mr. Brain one of the employee of the firm. It may be made with or without a dolls head, and really resembles the old grip action, with the advantage that the grip is at that part of the barrel (its extreme rear end), when it tells to the greatest advantage, and is further superior to the old grip, insomuch that there is no undue friction, the bearing parts not coming into contact until the barrels and screw are dead home; and they as instantly part contact as soon as the lever is touched to open the gun. This is caused by the pitch of the thread on the screw, and to this advantage may be added that it is self-locking.

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