The Art of Wingshooting, William Bruce Leffingwell, 1895
http://books.google.com/books?id=e34EmE3tkfkC
“I was permitted to examine many of the fine guns used by Miss Oakley in exhibition shooting, and noticed among them one Charles Lancaster ejector, one Charles Lancaster non-ejector, a Cashmore hammerless, a magnificent Smith ejector with a gold figure of herself inlaid, a Parker hammerless, a Scott Monte Carlo, a Scott ejector of highest quality, and an exquisite little Francotte ejector with Whitworth barrels. The value of the guns mentioned is $2,500.
The rifles shown were Lancaster oval-bore .360 double-barrel, Holland hammerless .32-caliber double-barrel, a magnificent Marlin repeater, and a couple of handsome Winchesters. She also showed me two single-barreled pistols made by the celebrated maker, Gastinne Renette of Paris. These pistols have 14-inch barrels, and are made expressly for pigeon shooting. With them Miss Oakley has scored nine out of ten pigeons from two traps, using one-half ounce of shot.
She shoots binocularly. Her shotguns weigh about six pounds each, the right barrels being bored modified, and the left full choke. Her load for targets is 2 3/4 drams of nitro powder and one ounce of shot. For live pigeons she uses three drams of powder, but the shot charge is unchanged; an ounce of shot is used on all occasions and for all kinds of game.”
Her portrait was engraved by Tiffany & Co. The image was taken when the gun was in the BBHC collection. It is now at the Gene Autry Western Heritage Museum in L.A.
1899 with her Smith. The gun is shown on p. 343 of Houchins'. I don't know the grade but Chain damascus was available on No. 2 up to No. A1.
Sporting Life, April 1, 1899
"Annie Oakley, the famous lady shot, is now using a 12-gauge L.C. Smith gun, made for her by the Hunter Arms Co. This gun was put up specially to her order. It has a very fine pair of chain Damascus barrels: on the right-hand lock is engraved a portrait of Annie Oakley in stage costume, and on the left-hand lock the regular portrait that is so familiar to all shooters. In the guard, inlaid in gold, is Miss Oakley’s entire name. The gun is pronounced by everyone who has seen it a magnificent piece of work, and the way Miss Oakley handles it is wonderful."
She also ordered a 26" barrel Ideal grade 12g SN FW91,746 shipped June 4, 1926 to J.P. Dannefelser, a dealer at 9 Chambers Street, New York.
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