510:, struck out a line of his own (the W.W. Greener company) and produced his first breechloader in 1864. When William Greener died in 1869, the two companies were amalgamated together as the W.W. Greener Company, and carried on by William Wellington Greener. William Wellington Greener was responsible for several innovations, as described in the sections below, and it was on the strength of his inventions that the company became famous. Under W.W. Greener, the company established offices in Birmingham, London,
623:
firm would guarantee that their new guns would shoot a closer pattern than any other manufacturer. The advertisement claimed that
Greener 12 bores were warranted to shoot an average pattern of 210, when the best 12 bore gun in the London Gun Trial of 1866 could only average 127. Naturally, the advertisement generated considerable controversy, especially from rival manufacturers of cylinder guns, who refused to believe the numbers quoted in the advertisement.
627:
English boring or
Cylinders) and Class 4 (Small gauges, any boring). The choke bored guns performed better than the cylinder guns in all these tests, and W.W. Greener choke bore guns won the class 1, class 2 and class 4 categories. Greener Choke bores also won at the London Gun Trials of 1877 and 1879, and the Chicago Field Gun Trial of 1879. The results of these trials were responsible for making the W.W. Greener name famous.
227:
132:
33:
619:
experiments to determine the perfect shape and size of a choke for a given bore. After that, he developed tools to produce the choke bore profile correctly and smoothly. The system of choke boring that he pioneered was so successful that it was later adopted by other manufacturers and hence, some authorities give him the credit for inventing the concept.
74:
607:, Improvements In Detachable Muzzle For Shot-Guns, dated July 14, 1868.) This was followed by a patent claim in London by Mr. Pape, an English Gun maker, whose patent application was six weeks too late to the 1866 Roper patent. Mr. J.W. Long, in his book "American Wildfowling", credits a Mr. Jeremiah Smith of Southfield,
578:
instrument was also modified to use .310 caliber cartridges. After several years, the models became obsolete in the 1960s and ammunition for the older models was impossible to obtain. Recently though, the company was asked to manufacture another model and hence, the Humane Killer Mk II was introduced. This new gun fires a
643:
attempted to manufacture copies of
Greener weapons. In several cases, the name was misleadingly similar: Greenen, Horace Greener, Albert Greener, A. Greener, W.H. Greener, A.H. Greener etc. are several examples of names of spurious weapons. Note that J.H. Greener and Albert Greener were two brothers
626:
In order to resolve the controversy, the
Editors of Field magazine decided to conduct a public trial in 1875. The London Trial of 1875 pitted choke bores and cylinder guns of various manufacturers in four categories—Class 1 (large bores, any boring), Class 2 (Choke bores, 12 gauge), Class 3 (Guns of
577:
In 1895, W.W. Greener invented the world's first Humane Killer, a gun designed to kill cattle, sheep, pigs and horses, quickly and easily. This instrument was adopted by the War Office, for use in the
Veterinary, Remount and Butchering Departments, and by the Admiralty for its Victualling yards. The
534:
Production of
Greener weapons started in 1829, when W. Greener began manufacturing his muzzleloaders. W. Greener was the first to discard vent holes in breeches. He was also instrumental in improving the hardness and quality of barrels, by using more steel in their manufacture. He also improved the
647:
In other cases, the maker would print "Greener" in bold gilt letters on the top rib and their own name in small characters, elsewhere on the gun. When one of these makers was challenged in
Belgian courts, the defence advanced the theory that the weapons were using the Greener cross-bolt system and
622:
In
December 1874, the first mention of Greener's choke bore appeared in an article by J.H. Walsh, the Editor of Field magazine. The article mentioned the extraordinary shot pattern that the Greener shotgun could produce. The next issue came with an advertisement from W.W. Greener, stating that the
558:
When W. Greener died in 1869, his son W.W. Greener merged the two companies into one. His next patent was the self-acting striker, followed by a famous cross-bolt mechanism produced as a single top bolt, in 1865. In 1873, this cross-bolt mechanism was combined with the bottom holding down bolts to
618:
W.W. Greener's first intimation of the choke formation was derived from instructions given in a customer's letter, in early 1874. The customer's instructions described a choke, but did not give any details on the size or shape, or how it was to be obtained. Hence, W.W. Greener had to conduct many
573:
In 1880, the firm produced a self-acting ejector for its guns, followed by the "Unique" ejector gun. These guns were designed to eject the spent cartridges when the gun was opened. Manufacture of the "Unique" ejectors stopped during the Second World War, and the company has recently begun to
569:
In 1876, the firm introduced the Treble Wedge-Fast
Hammerless Gun, otherwise known as the "Facile Princeps". This gun was cocked by the dropping of the barrels. This action was one of the strongest ever produced. The W.W. Greener company restarted production of Facile Princeps guns in 1998.
542:
In 1845-59, W. Greener was appointed to make sporting guns for the Prince
Consort. In the 1851 London Exhibition, the company received the highest award "for guns and barrels perfectly forged and finished". In 1853 and 1855, the company received Silver medals at the
525:
William Wellington Greener was succeeded by two of his sons, Harry Greener and Charles Greener. Leyton Greener, Harry's son and fourth generation took over as Chairman in 1951 and today the company has a fifth generation, Graham Greener, as one of its directors.
349:
554:
Since W. Greener did not believe in breechloaders, his son, W.W. Greener started his own factory. In 1864, he produced his first patent, an under-lever pin-fire half-cocking breechloader with a top bolt entering the barrel underneath the top rib.
590:
The introduction of choke bores was largely responsible for the fame of the W.W. Greener name. The invention of choke boring is usually attributed to American gunsmiths. The first known patents for choke boring were granted to a Mr.
614:
While American gunsmiths were the pioneers of the choke boring system, they had not really progressed beyond the elementary stage and their guns would lead, throw irregular patterns and not shoot straight.
559:
produce the "Treble Wedge-Fast" breech action. The treble wedge-fast was one of the strongest breech actions ever invented and was widely copied by other manufacturers, after the patent rights expired.
779:
774:
452:
manufacturer from England. The company produced its first firearm in 1829 and is still in business, with a fifth generation Greener serving on its board of directors.
566:
in 1874 is regarded as W.W. Greener's greatest achievement. It was this invention that made the firm's name famous. A discussion about this is in the section below.
789:
539:
and his model was the one adopted by the Scottish Fisheries, and is still in use today. His greatest innovation was the invention of the expanding rifle bullet.
142:
784:
476:
and founded the W. Greener company. In November 1844, he determined that most of the materials and components he used for gun making came from
84:
95:
480:, and his business was being hampered by the distance between the two towns. Hence, he moved his business from Newcastle to Birmingham.
551:
Exhibitions. The company's products were also sold for as much as 75 pounds, in the Southern states of America, before the Civil War.
724:
328:
310:
113:
60:
248:
241:
714:
651:
Due to the large number of forgeries, the W.W. Greener company offers to authenticate genuine Greener weapons for a small fee.
157:
46:
291:
200:
263:
172:
270:
179:
507:
237:
277:
186:
644:
of W W Greener and both brothers also made guns. Most J H Greener and a few Albert Greener guns are genuine.
660:
665:
484:
359:
259:
168:
503:
88:
that states a Knowledge (XXG) editor's personal feelings or presents an original argument about a topic.
473:
648:
hence, the larger letters were intended to refer to the system, and not the maker of the weapon.
592:
511:
52:
720:
563:
759:
284:
193:
461:
387:
348:
754:
768:
544:
519:
469:
635:
During the 1880s, as the company became well known, several small manufacturers in
608:
499:
488:
226:
131:
491:
with two-groove rifles enabled the company to erect a factory on "Rifle Hill",
477:
398:
495:, in 1859. It was around this time that the company began to really prosper.
640:
603:
597:
17:
611:, as the gunsmith who first discovered the concept, as far back as 1827.
515:
369:
483:
During the period of 1845-58, W. Greener was appointed to make guns for
636:
579:
536:
445:
465:
149:
548:
492:
449:
423:
220:
125:
67:
26:
749:
433:
85:
personal reflection, personal essay, or argumentative essay
601:, Improvement In Revolving Fire-Arms, April 10, 1866; and
153:
91:
472:, a prominent gun maker, returned to his hometown of
429:
419:
409:
393:
383:
375:
365:
355:
460:The history of W.W. Greener begins in 1829, when
498:Greener was a firm believer in the concept of
8:
341:
158:introducing citations to additional sources
780:Manufacturing companies established in 1829
775:Firearm manufacturers of the United Kingdom
61:Learn how and when to remove these messages
686:The Gun and Its Development, Ninth Edition
347:
340:
329:Learn how and when to remove this message
311:Learn how and when to remove this message
114:Learn how and when to remove this message
148:Relevant discussion may be found on the
705:
595:, an American inventor and gunsmith, (
247:Please improve this article by adding
790:British companies established in 1829
7:
25:
42:This article has multiple issues.
681:, Sampson Low, Marston & Co.
487:. Money obtained from supplying
225:
141:relies largely or entirely on a
130:
72:
31:
50:or discuss these issues on the
785:1829 establishments in England
1:
684:Greener, William Wellington,
249:secondary or tertiary sources
679:Experts on Guns and Shooting
716:The Gun and its Development
806:
508:William Wellington Greener
464:, who had been working in
434:http://www.wwgreener.com/
346:
688:, Bonanza Books NY, 1910
574:manufacture them again.
502:and refused to make any
713:W. W. Greener (2002) .
677:Teasdale-Buckle, G.T.,
661:Gun Quarter, Birmingham
760:Greener Prison Shotgun
755:Greener Police Shotgun
236:relies excessively on
94:by rewriting it in an
750:W.W. Greener Homepage
695:, Quiller Press, 2000
691:Greener, Graham N.,
562:The introduction of
154:improve this article
666:Nicolas-Noël Boutet
343:
604:U.S. patent 79,861
598:U.S. patent 53,881
593:Sylvester H. Roper
506:. Hence, his son,
96:encyclopedic style
83:is written like a
693:The Greener Story
631:Fake Greener guns
439:
438:
342:W. W. Greener Ltd
339:
338:
331:
321:
320:
313:
295:
219:
218:
204:
124:
123:
116:
65:
16:(Redirected from
797:
737:
736:
734:
733:
710:
606:
600:
351:
344:
334:
327:
316:
309:
305:
302:
296:
294:
253:
229:
221:
214:
211:
205:
203:
162:
134:
126:
119:
112:
108:
105:
99:
76:
75:
68:
57:
35:
34:
27:
21:
805:
804:
800:
799:
798:
796:
795:
794:
765:
764:
746:
741:
740:
731:
729:
727:
719:. p. 256.
712:
711:
707:
702:
674:
657:
633:
602:
596:
588:
532:
462:William Greener
458:
412:
405:
401:
388:William Greener
335:
324:
323:
322:
317:
306:
300:
297:
260:"W. W. Greener"
254:
252:
246:
242:primary sources
230:
215:
209:
206:
169:"W. W. Greener"
163:
161:
147:
135:
120:
109:
103:
100:
92:help improve it
89:
77:
73:
36:
32:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
803:
801:
793:
792:
787:
782:
777:
767:
766:
763:
762:
757:
752:
745:
744:External links
742:
739:
738:
725:
704:
703:
701:
698:
697:
696:
689:
682:
673:
670:
669:
668:
663:
656:
653:
632:
629:
587:
584:
531:
528:
457:
454:
444:is a sporting
437:
436:
431:
427:
426:
421:
417:
416:
413:
410:
407:
406:
404:United Kingdom
403:
397:
395:
391:
390:
385:
381:
380:
377:
373:
372:
367:
363:
362:
357:
353:
352:
337:
336:
319:
318:
301:September 2016
233:
231:
224:
217:
216:
210:September 2016
152:. Please help
138:
136:
129:
122:
121:
104:September 2016
80:
78:
71:
66:
40:
39:
37:
30:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
802:
791:
788:
786:
783:
781:
778:
776:
773:
772:
770:
761:
758:
756:
753:
751:
748:
747:
743:
728:
726:9781585747344
722:
718:
717:
709:
706:
699:
694:
690:
687:
683:
680:
676:
675:
671:
667:
664:
662:
659:
658:
654:
652:
649:
645:
642:
638:
630:
628:
624:
620:
616:
612:
610:
605:
599:
594:
585:
583:
581:
575:
571:
567:
565:
560:
556:
552:
550:
546:
545:New York City
540:
538:
529:
527:
523:
521:
520:New York City
517:
513:
509:
505:
504:breechloaders
501:
500:muzzleloaders
496:
494:
490:
486:
485:Prince Albert
481:
479:
475:
471:
467:
463:
455:
453:
451:
447:
443:
435:
432:
428:
425:
422:
418:
414:
408:
400:
396:
392:
389:
386:
382:
378:
374:
371:
368:
364:
361:
358:
354:
350:
345:
333:
330:
315:
312:
304:
293:
290:
286:
283:
279:
276:
272:
269:
265:
262: –
261:
257:
256:Find sources:
250:
244:
243:
239:
234:This article
232:
228:
223:
222:
213:
202:
199:
195:
192:
188:
185:
181:
178:
174:
171: –
170:
166:
165:Find sources:
159:
155:
151:
145:
144:
143:single source
139:This article
137:
133:
128:
127:
118:
115:
107:
97:
93:
87:
86:
81:This article
79:
70:
69:
64:
62:
55:
54:
49:
48:
43:
38:
29:
28:
19:
730:. Retrieved
715:
708:
692:
685:
678:
672:Bibliography
650:
646:
634:
625:
621:
617:
613:
609:Rhode Island
589:
576:
572:
568:
564:choke boring
561:
557:
553:
541:
533:
524:
497:
489:South Africa
482:
459:
442:W.W. Greener
441:
440:
394:Headquarters
356:Company type
325:
307:
298:
288:
281:
274:
267:
255:
235:
207:
197:
190:
183:
176:
164:
140:
110:
101:
82:
58:
51:
45:
44:Please help
41:
18:W.W. Greener
586:Choke bores
537:Harpoon Gun
411:Area served
769:Categories
732:2013-02-15
700:References
530:Production
478:Birmingham
399:Chippenham
271:newspapers
238:references
180:newspapers
47:improve it
641:Australia
474:Newcastle
150:talk page
53:talk page
655:See also
516:Montreal
420:Products
370:Firearms
366:Industry
637:Belgium
582:round.
580:.32 ACP
456:History
446:shotgun
430:Website
384:Founder
376:Founded
360:Private
285:scholar
194:scholar
90:Please
723:
470:Manton
466:London
424:Rifles
287:
280:
273:
266:
258:
196:
189:
182:
175:
167:
549:Paris
493:Aston
450:rifle
415:Local
292:JSTOR
278:books
201:JSTOR
187:books
721:ISBN
639:and
547:and
518:and
512:Hull
468:for
448:and
379:1829
264:news
173:news
240:to
156:by
771::
522:.
514:,
402:,
251:.
56:.
735:.
332:)
326:(
314:)
308:(
303:)
299:(
289:·
282:·
275:·
268:·
245:.
212:)
208:(
198:·
191:·
184:·
177:·
160:.
146:.
117:)
111:(
106:)
102:(
98:.
63:)
59:(
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
