A very early mid 18th-century breechloading flintlock rifle made by British Gunmaker David Collumbell, who originally apprenticed to Gerrett Johnson in 1712. David Collumbell started his own workshop in 1734 in Westminster, London. He was appointed Gunmaker to Ordnance in 1756, and to the East India Company in 1761, and would live until 1777. This early example of his work features a single start threaded 8 1/4 turn breech plug for loading access from the underside of the barrel. Rare and expensive for its time, a rifle such as this would typically be used for sporting purposes by wealthy Englishmen, giving an advantage in the ability to reload at the breech end while sitting up high in a tree. Small front blade sight and single ornate barrel band with U shaped rear sight on top. Barrel with twelve-groove .65 caliber rifling, flaring to .67 caliber at the muzzle, marked with Crown proofs on the left breech and "COLLUMBELL LONDON" on top. Rounded early style lock marked "COLLUMBELL". Light coverage floral scroll engraving on the breech end of the barrel, sideplate, triggerguard, and buttplate. Full length stock with ramrod below, and minor raised relief shell carving at the top of the wrist. Butt of the stock contains a removable 4 1/2 inch rod intended for use in the initial turning of the breech plug after a live firing.

Fine with a lightly aged patina on the cleaned and polished metal surfaces, very light scattered surface pitting, some light handling marks, and sharp markings. Stock is also fine with crisp raised relief carving visible on top wrist, some scattered dings and scratches, a 5 1/2 inch repaired section of wood at the front, and a 5 inch crack on the left, some light spots and crisp edges. Mechanically excellent. One of the earliest breechloading sporting rifles of its kind, displaying some of the finer work in 18th-century British gun making.