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Guyot SxS Shotgun... the service
by James Flynn
James Flynn, Gunmaker, LLC.

Guyot SxS Shotgun graceful lines and engraving
Close up side view of Guyot SxS
Illustrating the clean and graceful lines

This gun was an early cartridge sidelock with a sui generis action. It possessed an underlever that was pushed down and towards the muzzles to open the gun while cocking the hammers. The hammers were cocked with or without the barrels attached. When operating the opening lever, the double bite underbolt would push against rollers affixed to the hammers, camming them to the cocked position. The locking bolt had integral lugs that contacted the rollers, which provided an extremely smoothly opening action. Please bear in mind that this gun had no ejectors to cock which contributes to less resistance in opening a gun. A photo shows the rollers against which the locking bolt lugs act to cock the locks.

Guyot SxS Shotgun trigger plate
Top view of the trigger showing the pierced spring that
actuates the opening lever. - No doubt a fun spring to make!ce!

One of the oddest features on this gun was the safety. To make the gun safe, one pushed the safety button forward, and pulled it rearward to fire. My first reaction was to chalk this up to Gallic eccentricity but upon further reflection, a practical answer came to me. This gun had evolved from the external hammer age; and what was more natural than pulling hammers back to put a gun into battery condition? Vice versa, to make the gun safe, one let the hammers down.

Guyot SxS - The proof marks

Whatever, my client prudently wanted the safety reversed to suit his practiced method.

The gun was a 16 gauge and although by numerous indications it was an early hammerless cartridge gun, it had Sir Joseph Whitworth’s fluid, compressed steel barrels. It sports London proofs with a single French, St. Etienne, proof mark. Missing were choke indications (the bores were cylinder), “not for ball” stamps, and charge weights. Cut on the top of the barrels was the name “ Guyot Arq’ er A Paris” with the address, “18 Rue de Ponthieu.”

Guyot SxS Shotgun barrels and lettering
Guyot SxS Shotgun - Guyot lettering nicely recut by Bruce Lepage.

Well-trained hands produced precisely made locks with three screw bridles but conspicuously missing were interceptor sears and rebounding hammers. These are indications of a gun built with economy in mind. When one considers that the gun lacks ejectors, has fluid steel barrels sans chokes, and the safety button pulled rearward to fire; it tends to place the gun in the early to mid 1880’s.

Guyot SxS Shotgun trigger mechanisim
Internals of gun mechanism showing the double under-bite bolt
that also cocks the hammers

Another interesting feature shown in the photos was the cocking lever action spring. It was mounted on the underside of the trigger bar, held by a screw at the rear of the triggers, went around the triggers via a cut out, rejoined, and was connected to the lever by a stirrup. The split spring was reminiscent of the Woodward “Automaton” but only the spring. The lever of the Woodward acts directly upon the hammers while the Guyot acts upon the bolt.

Photos will also display the typically precise inletting of a quality gun while the style of the stock is typically British. The checkering was flat top with triple borders and well executed.

Guyot SxS Shotgun stock inletting and safety
Top view of Guyot SxS demonstrating clean lines absent a top lever

The client sent the gun to me for inspection, cleaning, reversing the safety button, restoring the barrels, and cleaning up the forend wood. The gun was tight and should provide good service for years to come so long as proper loads and care are given.

What can I tell the reader about Guyot? Not much. To my knowledge, Guyot was basically a sporting house in Paris and farmed out their gunmaking to other firms. As aforementioned, Francotte apparently made the earlier Guyots I serviced. After calling several colleagues, it was opined that Guyot did make guns at one time and that my client’s gun was an Henri Roux design. There is little information about Guyot or Roux and if any readers know more, it would be appreciated. The only mention of Roux’s name I can find appears in Boothroyd’s “Shotguns and Gunsmiths. “

Guyot SxS Shotgun sidelock
Inside the lock demonstrating the lack of safety
sear but otherwise a fine quality lock

One gunsmith of high esteem, Abe Chaber, told me that he had worked on three Guyots in his lengthy career. He saw a pair of 12 gauge guns that were sidelocks of the H&H type, with French proofs only, and of the best quality. He also mentioned that they each had two pairs of barrels but with only one forend for each gun, and the forends fit perfectly. This is a testament to careful workmanship. The other gun he serviced was a boxlock 2o gauge of the best quality. This the first time I heard of Guyots being made in France.

Abe also mentioned that the older Guyot I worked on could have been re-barreled in London, and the suggestion certainly has merit as many Damascus barreled guns were. I fear we shall never know.

I know few men in the trade who have heard of Guyot much less seen and worked on one. I wish I could provide more information about this fascinating gun and its maker but can find no English language books nor further information about either. However such a unique gun is certainly worthy of mention.

Bon chasse!

James Flynn, Gunmaker
P.O. Box 7461
Alexandria, LA 71306 USA
Phone: (318) 445-7130
Hours 9am - 12pm & 1pm - 5:30pm weekdays CST

NOTE: This article, was most courteously presented in
the March/April issue of “Shooting Sportsman" magazine.

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