This intrigued me. I found this snippet in the February 1898 edition of 'The Sporting Goods Review' about musical gun locks.

Does it chime with anyone here?

Tim

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Wow - that's pretty interesting. Has anyone ever seen a set of Manton locks with this little feature on them? There are plenty of old Mantons around.

And what does the rest of the article say? Any more tidbits like this?

Thanks for sharing.

OWD

Never heard of that but I did have an original "Ping" putter.

I understand what the writer is trying to convey, and have experienced it myself. He is somewhat overstating the effect, but on very high quality locks there is a different sound, AND feel as the lock is cycled through half and full cock positions. Saying it has musical qualities might be a bit of an embellishment, but I guess you could say there is a slight harmonic "ping" sound to it. And as I stated, the "feel" of the lock is just as impressive.

As far as the spring the writer describing, I think he is simply describing the trigger return spring found on most quality guns.

if pretty and makes a pleasant sound it will amuse the child for a longer period of time...

a lot like the C....O....LLLLLL...T you get when cocking a 1873 single action....how often have you seen a fat middle aged guy at a gun show with the gun close to his ear when cycling the action and that dumb looking overly amused grin on his puss...

That is the entire note. The articles are very much longer in that journal but there would be several pages of trade news and other shorter pieces.

These old magazines are quite interesting but do take time to wade through and I have to go up to London and the British Library to read them.

Something else I came across yesterday was this, a photograph of Major Gerald Burrard. I snapped it since I have his books but no image of him. The article, which I did not copy, was about trialling a new .303 round on the private Canon Frome estate long range, which went to 1,400 yards. More info here: http://www.herefordtimes.com/news/featur...soleum/?ref=rss

For this trial, Burrard teamed up with Mr C Mack and, shooting in pairs over two days, beat the other two fellows. There were only 15 points difference between all four rifle shots over that two day period. Pretty impressive. Anyway, that's what old Gerald looked like!

Tim

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I agree, there are locks and locks. In their most crude form locks are a functional mechanism, but when you pick up a hammer gun with pristine locks made will skill and care, and you pull that hammer back and you can feel the perfectly smooth build on the mainspring and the positive engagement of the sear, and in your minds eye you can see the sear spring flicking the sear into each notch as you pull the hammer back. I have a gun that's saved from the scrap bin purely because it has the nicest locks i have had the pleasure to use, in all other respects the gun is scrap value with pitted dented shortened tubes, damage and intensive repairs to the stock, but a beautiful pair of locks. Gun by Highham, converted muzzle loader to 14 gauge breach loader

len bull told me about his quite a while ago, it was an added spring just to make a metallic click instead of a dull wooden click.guys seem to like clicks in there guns.

TRW-

Great pic. Thanks for sharing. I love the chalk board (?) and all the gear those guys dragged into the field with them.

Their outfits are great, too. Ties!

OWD

Reminds me of a story a prairie dog hunter relayed to me...he told this women in a bar that "I'm now in the 1000 yard club"...she replied "hell you can't even see a damn prairie dog at a 1000 yards".

This thread just caused me to go through my guns & listen to them click.
The most musical by far is on a 36" barrelled H&R Duck SB.
Followed by the right lock of an L Jeffries.
As concerns that picture above, I would drive their truck, shoot on their grounds, shoot their guns, sit on those nice chairs, wear the funny hats, but draw the line at wearing the socks & pants outfit.

What is that front sight set up about ? Maybe a sun shade ?
O.M

Best feeling & sounding locks I have are on a ca 1863 W & C Scott pinfire.

Most likely with Stanton locks.

Joe;
Could be, I have never looked to see if they were marked. The gun is a Bar-in-Wood 12 ga. Top rib is marked it was made for a Benjamin D Kennedy of Louisville KY, no serial no. I acquired it from a gentleman from Louisville. He had tried to research Mr Kennedy but found no birth nor death certificates for him in Louisville. He did find where he had a business license for a Jewelery Store in the same time frame as the gun was built.
Mr Crawford sent me a nice letter on it & stated it was the first W & C Scott he had ever encountered without a SN. I had sent him pictures & he also stated it was the first he had seen built on this "Matthew's" patent. He said it was definitely pre 1865 & he estimated it @ 1863.
Whoever made those locks though, they are some good feeling locks.

just like I said....easily amused...just like trap shooters....