Most people never really see the locks on double barrel shotguns. That’s too bad. The locks are one of the important parts of a sidelock shotgun, They’re also one most intricate and beautifully crafted, too.
These locks from a mid-grade and best-quality W. & C. Scott hammer gun. Both are from around 1885 and all original. The finish you see was put there by the maker.
Take a look at the lock from the mid-grade, W. & C. Scott double barrel shotgun. Even though it’s well made, this lock has a two-pin bridle. That’s not very good.
The lock was probably made by Scott, or by a maker in the trade who specialized in lower-grade locks. It is not marked with a maker’s name. If it was made by an outside firm, they were not interested in taking credit for it.
Compare it to this next lock. One look shows you the extra quality and labor that went into it. This one came off a W. & C. Scott Premier grade double barrel shotgun.
See the extra pins on the bridle? This is a four-pin lock — the best there is. The Premier was Scott’s finest hammergun. This lock came from Stanton — one of the top lock makers in the business. Stanton perfected the rebounding lock in 1867.
Go here and here if you want to learn more about locks. There a lot of pics on those sites, along with some history on the evolution of gun locks. Interesting stuff.
