I was reading the "slow participation" thread and thought I'd share some information I had discovered about my William Evans 470.

It's a Webley built A&W.C boxlock made in 1919. Hard to believe it will be 100 yrs old soon. I've taken two elephants and two buffalo with it so far.

The records for Evans firearms are available by contacting William Evans. I have owned several of their rifles over the years and they have always been very gracious about providing information.

Unfortunately, the Evans premises were bombed during the blitz and they lost several order books detailing the build information for the yrs when my 470 was built. I could tell the approximate year it was built based on serial # but that's about it.

A few yrs ago I called Evans and spoke with a gentleman named Peter Telsbett(sp?)and asked him to look up my 470. He let me know the book was one of the ones destroyed but when he got a chance he would take a look at some other information and see what he could find.

I was pleasantly surprised when a few months later a letter came addressed to me from William Evans. In it Peter wrote that he had come in on a Saturday and spent a few hours going through their ledgers until he found the information on my rifle. He provided a copy of the ledger spelling out my rifle had been built for a Captain Noel Christian Livingstone-Learmonth.

Doing a little research I found quite a few entries for Captain Livingstone-Learmonth online and even found a book detailing an Artic and African safari written by a Max Fleischman detailing his safari and participation by Captain Livingstone-Learmonth.

I also have a copy of a page of Rigby's records detailing a 450 that was built for Captain Livingstone-Learmonth but unfortunately can't put my hands on it right now.

I thought you might enjoy a link to the book.

https://books.google.com/books...%20learmonth&f=false

Enjoy.

Very cool indeed, sir. There are so many rifles out there like yours that if only they could talk! Thanks for sharing. j

In the past-- 2002 and 2008--when I was working in England, I have visited William Evans shops a number of times in London and at the Bisley shooting grounds. They are a first class act, and treat one like an old favorite customer, even though they know that you are not going to buy a firearm from them that day. Each time I have visited them at the London shop going downstairs to view the guns and rifles was an adventure and one never knows what will be there at that time. On one occasion I discovered that they had a pair of Stephen Grant & Sons damascus barreled shotguns in for a "check up" from the family who had owned them since they were ordered and purchased more than 100 years earlier. They were outstanding guns.

I suspect your rifle was made by Webley and Scott for Evans as they were a major supplier to Evans. Webley and Scott made wonderful rifles.

If any of you go to London be sure to visit them

Very interesting story.
I checked the availability of the book and found one original copy for $1800.
Must be a very rare book. Fortunately there are plenty of print on demand copies available.

Thanks for sharing the story about your rifle, very interesting!

Some day I hope people will be searching for the history of our fine rifles!

Would you be willing to provide us with a picture of your 470.
Thanks

Here is the only one I have on my computer right now. It's not a great picture, I need to take some more.

Looks good enough to me!

What sambarman338 says

Beautiful rifle for sure.Is William Evans the retailer or the rifle builder?I checked their web sight and did not find any indication of them building or selling rifles of this class.
If I am not mistaken there is another english double rifle brand with the name Evans.My PH was using one in Moz,a 470 which he borrowed from another PH.

Does your 470 have Bushed Firing Pins??

Hello, yes it has bushed strikers.

Below are a few more pictures, sorry for the poor quality makes me appreciate the talent of a good photographer.

One of my favorite makers!

That is a really nice looking rifle,love the wood,has that history look to it,a proven weapon!

Who can't fall in love with this? The absolute perfect double!
Cal

Lovely Lovely Lovely......
Wow...