Hi All,
This Perrins shotgun has just surfaced and it is intriguing. It looks like it was originally a pin fire which has been converted to centre fire some time after 1887 which is not too unusual in itself – but what is unusual is the grip safety. Now I have been around guns for a good few years but am no expert and this is the first time I have seen this on a shotgun. The gun has non rebounding hammers, as you would expect on a pin fire conversion, but I would appreciate it if anyone can shed some light on the grip safety. How rare are these? And would it have been original? The hammers are locked when fully cocked till the grip is squeezed.
As any of you who have followed my threads on the Perrins guns over the years will have realised – they were very innovative and progressive. We have uncovered all sorts of different actions from false hammers to safety catches that work the opposite way from convention to underleaver and top leaver cocking – but I haven’t come across a grip safety on one of their guns before. I am sure there will be lots of you out there with examples or the knowledge so any information would be welcome

Here are a few more photos of the gun – it isn’t in great condition but with a little – well actually quite a lot – of TLC it should make a good recovery.
John

Hi John,

Nice gun you have there, I have a Dickson with the same 'grip safety' as your Perrins, my gun is dated 1863 and is also a pin-fire conversion.

It is a rare thing to come across. Looking through the Dickson records they built 18 muzzleloaders, 24 breach loaders (centre and pin-fire) and 8 hammerless guns with this 'grip-safety'.

Regards
J-PD

I also had a Dickson, pinfire conversion, rebounding hammers, with a grip safety, and a Brazier snap bolt. I am not sure if the internals my grip safety are like your, but on the outside they look the same.

Grip safeties are older'n Methuselah. Here's one from circa 1815 on a W.H. Wilson, London. I believe it was a Manton innovation which merely blocks the trigger blades. Intent was two-fold: to help prevent blowing your head off whilst loading, and supposedly allowed safely carrying the gun fully cocked for rough shooting. Only problem is I tend to grip the wrist while walking.....not a good idea with this arrangement. (These late flintlocks were often built as self primers as this one is so were loaded with frizzen closed and hammer at half cock.)

What a cracking gun. As you say - there isn't anything new - even back in 1860!!
I had thought it a bit tricky to carry it cocked without holding the wrist of the stock with one hand - it just felt a bit awkward holding it further back.
John

More proof Stephen Grant thought old ways the best: a gun of his from 1909 sports a grip safety that looks very much like the fist photo...

One of the side plate Lefever guns with grip safety was for sale a few years ago. I only saw photos of it; it was in Texas as I recall.

Here is a Purdey 16b that I sold, complete with grip safety.

An interesting triggerguard as well. Made for a Austrian Count.

Hi Toby,

What do you know of these type of trigger guards? I have heard lots of interesting speculation on the reason for the shape.

About 20 years ago, I worked on a pair of Purdey SLE's with these type of guards, they were also an original European order. I was told by the owner they were shaped like that so that they butted up against a stop in a long holster sleeve whilst on a horse?

Anyone else have the definitive reason behind this shape? Would love to put the guessing to rest.

Regards
J-PD

similar trigger guards



Dickson conversion.



Same gun as above, showing grip safety.

What a cracking collection of different guns with the grip safety – Mr Perrins certainly tried to please his customers with the latest innovations from the very top makers.
Moving on to the trigger guards – this is a photo of one of Perrins early percussion singles – with a birds eye maple stock.
As you see it has a similar shaped trigger guard – even if not quite so fancy. I have no idea why they made them like this – I will ask those with much more knowledge than myself.
John

Fletched Pair,
Sorry for the tardy reply.
I was informed by a learned gunmaking friend and colleague that the shape of the triggerguard originates from the fore hand hold used by northern continentals in target rifle shooting.
The triggerguard is balanced on the extended thumb with the first finger on the forend just in front of the knuckle.
Apparently the logic in target shooting is that when shooting a rifle standing without support, it stopped one gripping the barrel and pulling the shot.
The practice carried over to shotgun shooting and survived up to the 1st WW but has since died out.
And no, I wasn't having my leg pulled!
The horse scabbard theory sound plausible except that I don't imagine that wealthy Austrian aristocrats rode out to shoot driven pheasants but if they did, their guns were most likely consigned to a very elegant horse drawn carriage that preceded them to their battue.

Another possible explanation for the flat-fronted trigger guard is to make the gun more comfortable to hold draped over the shooter's forearm. If you've ever tried this with a conventional guard, you,ll recall how quickly it becomes painful.