It took my V-C sidelock pigeon gun to an English trained gunmith and he said it was a "9 pin" sidelock. I had been told it was a 7 pin and you did not count the hammer axle and the pin that holds the main spring.

I have always been confused on this issue, especially the 7 pin vs the 9 pin discussion. I understand that the 5 pin has coil springs for intercepting sears and the 7 pin has leaf springs but how do know which pins to count to determine the correct type action?

Confused in Missouri---