This is a unsigned 19th century Air Rifle that appears to be the work of Wm. Dooley, Liverpool . It’s in superb condition retaining 40% case colors on it’s action with a beautiful brown patina on it’s 30″ barrel. The caliber is .42 which is large for an air rifle and the multigroove rifling is very good. This was a pretty wicked weapon in it’s day. When you  pumped up the reservoir buttstock it would hold enough compressed air for 20-25 shots.  All that was required to shot it was to flip the breech open and drop in a ball, close the breech and pull back the hammer.  These rifles were way ahead of there times as there was no smoke and not much noise to give away your position. Also they were deadly accurate.   The engraving is top notch and very crisp. The butt stock is covered in what I beleive to be shark skin or it could be sting wray. I’m not sure whether this is a British or American rifle but as there aren’t any proofs I would think it’s American.  A really great and hard rifle to find. Lewis of Lewis & Clark fame used one of these Air Rifles quite often to impress the Indians. 

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