Greener GP itch...

[Smellydog]

...scratched.
I've been waiting for a tidy one to come along.
I wasn't expecting an unfired one to come along.

Turns out I can shoot it as well. Absolutely delighted. Especially the quartering away hen at 40yds plus! Numerous squirrels and a pigeon. Missed a few but no worse than normal.


Can someone shed some light on its date of manufacturing? I always thought the colour case hardening was during Webleys ownership??

 

[Tugmanade]

Takes me back a few years, payed a fiver for one, I think it was the first 12g I owned before upgrading to a Webley & Scott (well i thought it was an upgrade) semi hammer single.

 

[wanderer]

Is it 2 1/2 or 2 3/4 chamber?
The one i sold on here a few months ago was 2 1/2.
Chamber length may shed some light on whether earlier or later(?)

 

[old keeper]

My very first NEW gun. A very long time ago!

 

[kevtherev]

She’s a beauty good find @Smellydog
There is a Facebook greener page with set number dates I found the one I acquired earlier in the year to be a 1976 made one.

 

[David.evans]

Very very nice nathen , I’m jealous

 

[WW.]

Think there's some info. on the Greener site regarding rough dates depending on serial numbers.

 

[Smellydog]

Is it 2 1/2 or 2 3/4 chamber?
The one i sold on here a few months ago was 2 1/2.
Chamber length may shed some light on whether earlier or later(?)

2&3/4".

 

[Smellydog]

Takes me back a few years, payed a fiver for one, I think it was the first 12g I owned before upgrading to a Webley & Scott (well i thought it was an upgrade) semi hammer single.

My dealer has an unfired Webley semi hammer ejector from the same chap.
It's like new!

 

[Navarone]

Very cool!

 

[cjm1066]

I have always fancied one, those photos are increasing the desire.

 

[tarponhead]

Is it choked? Lovely looking thing and so lucky it fits you! Single shot makes you pick your moment…

 

[Martiniblack577]

Greener Police Gun - only combat shotgun I’m aware of designed and built in the UK. Developed from the ‘EG’ gun that is the cousin to the GP. Police variants are fully stocked. If you’re very lucky you will find one that saw service with the armed services and marked as such. Other rare ones include those that served with the HKP and somehow came back. Also used in NI, as confirmed by a former user who found them adept at blowing hinges off! Normally a fairly open choke - think riot control - but will work on clays if you’re quick.

 

[stalker.308]

I’ve got one for sale in the classifieds for anyone wanting to scratch an itch!

 

[Smellydog]

Is it choked? Lovely looking thing and so lucky it fits you! Single shot makes you pick your moment…

3/4. Might see if I can get it in the lathe someday.

 

[Ratel]

Interesting, a late friend of mine's father was the works manager at W. Greeners when these were designed and made in the late fifties. My friend had one his dad had designed with interchangeable chokes. My pal's dad Richard Lawn left Greeners and took our village pub eventually taking on "The Tavern in the Town" pub in B'Ham. He was walking along to his pub when the bomb went off, luckily neither of his two sons or wife were in there at that time.

 

[Martiniblack577]

Interesting, a late friend of mine's father was the works manager at W. Greeners when these were designed and made in the late fifties. My friend had one his dad had designed with interchangeable chokes. My pal's dad Richard Lawn left Greeners and took our village pub eventually taking on "The Tavern in the Town" pub in B'Ham. He was walking along to his pub when the bomb went off, luckily neither of his two sons or wife were in there at that time.

The I/C choke version is also a beauty to behold and another underrated and rare Greener.

What I do love about the EG’s, GP’s, Police guns are they came from a company turning out high end SBS’etc and then also these!!

Greener produce a book about their history - well worth buying direct from the company as Mr Greener autographs it for you.

Cheap slice of utilitarian British shotgun history whichever one you buy (apart from the fully stocked Police guns which are becoming better appreciated year on year) but so worth having.

 

[Lever357]

OOO, that's nice with the colour case hardening!

 

[Smellydog]

A chap on here has dated it to a 1972 manufacturing from Webley, which I suspected via the receiver colour.
Thanks @Stimo444

 

[Martiniblack577]

For interest: scaled up EG morphing into the officially designated Police MKIII. Martini action. Fully stocked. End cap to protect barrel when necessary! I found this one a number of years ago languishing unloved in an auction house. Barrel mint. Gorgeous plum metalwork. Wood work original and amazing condition. I was chuffed. You do get funny looks using this at a clay ground!

However, any Greener, buy one whilst it isn’t too difficult to do so.