Boxlock Vickers made shotguns all have serial numbers in the 5000 range. So far I about 15 recorded and this includes 2 20 bores and 2 16 bores, the rest are all twelves. The lowest number is 5030 and the highest is 5833. So it looks like Vickers production of boxlocks was around 1,000 guns from 1921 to 1927. Once the amalgamation with Armstrong's occurred, the serial numbers changed to 90000. Sales for Vickers Armstrong boxlocks slowed. I have recorded under a dozen examples with the lowest being 90631 and the highest 90687, so perhaps only 100 guns, unless my sample is badly skewed.
Within each serial number range there are distinctly different styles of gun, as if they were made by a completely different manufacturer. I believe Vickers outsourced all double barrel shotgun manufacture. Weather they had two manufactures, one each for the two serial number ranges or a number of makers I don't know. If it was the latter Vickers would have had to allocate serial number blocks to each maker. so I need to do more anasiys of the examples with photos that I have to see if there is a pattern.

As for the sidelocks, Vickers almost certainly started at 1001. The lowest serial number I have is 1049, the highest is 1621. The same serial number range rolled through Vickers to Vickers Armstrong without interruption. I have about 30 serial numbers recorded, so the survival rate of the sidelocks would appear to be better than the boxlocks. Of these only one is a 16 bore and the second is one of a pair, 20 bore, with what appears to be engraving by none other than Kell.
Again within the sidelock range there are variations as to weather the gun used the Baker pattern with coil spring or a more traditional leaf spring lock. I think it is almost certain that Baker made the guns with his own patent, I am unsure as to who made the rest of the sidelocks. Unfortunately, Bakers records do not seem to exist - pity!

By far and away Vickers biggest selling shotgun gun which I am confident they did make themselves is the Vickers Vanguard single barrel. Again they started at 1001 and I have recorded serial number in a gun-makers ledger just under 7000, being sold to the Ministry of Supply in 1940. No doubt these would have been used by the RAF for training aerial gunnery. All the guns I have recorded are 12 bore.

Perhaps Vickers and Vickers Armstrong's biggest seller was the range of single shot .22 Martini rifles, both in target and sporting guise. A survey is under way on the Rifleman.org.uk site into these rifles. For the sake of completeness Vickers also did a .300 Rook calibre sporting rifle version using their Martini action. I have never seen one of these.

Konor 3inch, thanks for posting your photo of a handsome Vickers.

It looks like the article in Volume 1 Series 2 that covers the .470 will not be of much help but I would still like to get a copy of the article in Volume 12 Issue 2, if anyone has it.

Regards

AlanD
Sydney