I have been researching the shotguns made by Vickers and Vickers Armstrong for a number of years.
I am keen to locate a copy of an article on these guns published in the DGJ, Volume 1 Series 2, its on page 93 or 95.
If anyone has a copy they could forward me please send me a PM. Many thanks.

Regards

AlanD

I would guess that you are aware that Geoffrey Boothroyd wrote about Vickers shotguns in his two books �The British Over and Under Shotgun� and �Sidelocks and Boxlocks� just thought I�d mention just in case you aren�t.I could look out the relevant Doublegun Journal and email a photograph of the article if that would be of any use to you.

Alan:

Back issues of DGJ are available from the publisher. If you go to their web site, you can get the contact information.

Rem

Many years ago I had a client who had a couple of Vickers sidelocks. They were serviceable shotguns and were reasonably well made. What was unusual, as I recall, was that they had coil mainspring locks. Perhaps the first coil mainspring I had ever seen in an older gun.

J

Just looked through the DGJ index and readers and see there are only two listings for Vickers. Vol 1 iss. 2 pg 93, and vol 12 iss. 2 pg 149. Unfortunately I don't own either of those issues to look through them.

However, I am fortunate enough to own a 16 ga Vickers boxlock, which has become my favorite partridge and woodcock gun for many years now.

I managed to find the reference to Vickers on page 93 . I was expecting an article on the Vickers range of shotguns but in the article �The Trouble With Lions � A .470 Nitro Express Double Rifle on page 93 the Vickers firm is credited with the production of � many of the barrels that were used during this time� The article concerns a .470 Double rifle.

Was the article on the .470 Nitro Express covering pages 93 and 95 of DGJ Volume 1 Issue 2 the article you were interested in for your research into Vickers and Vickers and Armstrong ?

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

Hello AlanD, do you have any thoughts on the Vickers 9 bolt action rifles and who may have made them? Best regards,
Steve

Hi AlanD,
That was flintfan’s photograph so I can’t take any credit there.
Is the DGJ article you are after
” William Baker Gun Inventor Extraordinaire”?
If so I may be able to scan it and forward to you via email. Also if I see or hear of any Vickers shotguns I will forward you the details.
Best of luck in your research

Hi Steve

Sorry about the slow response.

The Vicker's bolt action rifles in .242, .318 & .404 are something of a mystery. It appears that the actions are ex military DWM actions, but there are two action sizes depending on calibre so I am not sure if both action sizes are military. I would have thought not. Who made the barrels and stock - I don't know. Vickers would have supplied the barrel blanks if they were made in the UK. Vickers could have made the barrels themselves as it would be well in their capability.

It would appear these sporting bolt action rifles were not big sellers. i only have 3 recorded in my data base, so far. They did seem to sell a few to various game parks in Africa.

Regards

AlanD