doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com The Finest American Side-by-Side Ever?

As Pete M mentioned, we have pretty good documentation that the barrels came from Plunger-Riga and/or Heuse-Riga
http://heuse.spahistoire.info/henriheuse.html
Some nice pics here
http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?p=999&gid=17067005

William Mason was a machinist and inventor who worked for Colt and had around 125 patents for both firearms and machinery. The 1870 Census shows that he was born in New York and a foreman at the Armory (colt).

I have and still shoot old fox shotguns... never had to fix one..its my choice

I have had one Colt apart. The hinge pin rotates and the striker springs (leaf type) are cocked by the hinge pin. They take two people to put these springs back together. The engraveing on them is second to none. The one that I worked on was a Grade 2 and the setter and pointer were quite well done. You could tell which was the pointer and which one was the setter.

I would much perfer to work on a Fox any day of the week.

JMHO, Gordon

Please tell me what is so very special about H&R boxlock shotguns.

Cabela's in St. Louis has one in 50% condition and they want a grand for it. It looks mundane to me, and well below a Fox or Parker....what am I missing?

Jerry6stl

Back when Colts were being made H & R was affiliated with Westley Richards and made boxlocks based on the Richards action.
Nothing like the later H & R boxlocks. The Westley Richards based H & R boxlocks were among the most expensive, if not the most expensive available at that time in the US. Very high quality shotguns.

Gordon:
I certainly do remember those Colt mainsprings but this was one tough gun and topnotch IMO. My hats alway been off to the inventor William Mason? who also invented the swing out revolver cylinder. This invention hasn't been improved upon in over 100 years.
Jim

Why does Colt command such precedence here as "The Finest American Side-by-Side Ever," please? Am I missing something?

Recent Double Gun Journal article on this. Either the Summer or Spring issue.

Aparentely King:
You've never had a hands on session with one of the 1883 Colts. This is the finest shotgun ever built here during that period IMO and apparetely this opinion is shared by many. It is a shame that Colt gave up on this effort as early as they did.
Jim