Greener GP Police Gun
W.W. Greener Ltd · Shotgun · Discontinued · 1921
Also known as: Greener EG, Greener Police Gun, Greener Police Shotgun, Greener GP
Overview
The Greener GP Police Gun is a rugged single-shot, smoothbore shotgun built on the obsolete but durable Martini falling-block action. Developed by British gunmaker W.W. Greener shortly after the First World War for colonial police and prison-guard duty, it was chambered for a proprietary 14 bore shell that could not be obtained on the commercial market. Anti-theft features such as a bottlenecked brass case with a recessed primer well and a trident-shaped firing pin prevented stolen guns from being loaded with standard shotgun ammunition. Its heavy full-length wooden stock, steel nose cap, and steel buttplate let it double as a club for riot control.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 3500 g (123.5 oz) |
| Weight (loaded) | 3560 g (125.6 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1060 mm (41.73") |
| Barrel Length | 610 mm (24.02") |
| Action Type | Falling Block |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 1 rounds |
| Muzzle Velocity | 380 m/s (1247 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 2240 J (1652 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 40 m (44 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 150 m (164 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Smoothbore |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 14 Bore Greener · primary — also known as 14 Gauge Greener, Greener Police Shell, 14gr
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Single Shot
- Safety mechanisms: Self Cocking Block
- Features: Proprietary Ammunition, Trident Firing Pin, Full Length Wood Stock, Steel Nose Cap, Steel Buttplate, Anti Theft Breech
Variants
- Greener GP Mark I - Early Pattern
- Greener GP Mark III - Anti Theft Pattern
Service history
Operators
- Egyptian Police · adopted 1922 · as Greener EG
- British Colonial Police Forces
Production
Estimated total produced: 60,000 · Production years: 1922-1964
About 45,000 supplied to Egypt as Greener EG guns; the remainder went to other colonial police forces across the British Empire.
Origin
Country of origin: United Kingdom
Designer: W.W. Greener
Discontinued: 1964
Notes
The Egyptian Government contracts (Greener EG, for Egyptian Government) accounted for roughly 45,000 of an estimated 60,000 guns produced between 1922 and 1964. The Mark III introduced the recessed-primer cartridge and trident striker to defeat use of commercial shells.
Background
Designed as a tool of engineered gun control, the Greener Police Gun fired ammunition deliberately incompatible with commercial shells so that weapons stolen from police could not be fed on the black market. Its bottlenecked case and recessed primer well echoed measures used to control cartridges for the French Lebel rifle.