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Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 138
Sidelock
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Sidelock
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Gentlemen,

I regard myself as a bit of a Dickson collector (but not as bad as Charles Gordon!) and I own a bunch of Dicksons in many configurations (percussion to round-action). I have been fascinated with this particular gun manufacturer simply because of locality, as I spent my teenage years and early career in Scotland.

Over the years I have amassed a lot of info on the weapons produced by this great firm and for the ones I cannot own I like to learn a little bit about them. Every now and then you get surprise and come across an undocumented feature, certainly as the round-action model progressed in development.

For those of you that own guns made by this firm, I hope that you would be willing to share some of the info on your gun with me. I am especially looking for specs you can reveal on the gun, including serial number and any patent use number stamped on the bar of the action (could be by Lancaster, Purdey, WM Scott and JD&S) and/or anything unusual about the guns.

2012 has finally brought me some spare time to start to pull all this info together and comes at a time when I should be able to submit much of this info to Donald Dallas, as he starts the task of putting a Dickson book together.

If you can contribute anything regarding Dickson, please PM me.

Best Regards
J-PD

Last edited by Fletchedpair; 01/09/12 05:20 AM.
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Sidelock
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J-PD, I arranged the changing of the guard on a very nice Dickson self-cocking hammergun with the original 3 sets of damascus barrels and the original case. If you're interested I will contact my buddy, (the current owner) and see if he'd be interested in passing on some info.

Black and Tan
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Black and Tan
Unregistered

FP,

I own a Dickson boxlock. I have been unable to determine whether this piece was made in Birmingham (which I suspect due to it having Birmingham proof marks) and then put together by Dickson, or, conversely, was made by Dickson and proofed in Birmingham. Do you have any recommendations on researching the question? Dickson's current management have steadfastly declined to answer any correspondence.

Best,

Joined: Nov 2006
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Sidelock
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Use the phone;131-225-4218. Just ask them to read the book for your serial#,and if you are pleasent to them they will send you a photo of the entry.

Joined: Jan 2002
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Sidelock
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J-PD,

Having already exchanged details on my pair of Dicksons with you, I'm prompted to hope that you will eventually be writing a book. Burrard, as I recall, particularly liked the Dickson action and plenty has been written about trigger plate actions and their mechanical benefits. But a comprehensive book about Dicksons would be a delight to add to my firearms library.

Don't doubt that some of us owners would readily forward high resolution digital photos should you advance in such a project.

Regards,
Tim

Joined: Aug 2008
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Sidelock
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Randall,

Ok, sourced-in boxlocks is a contentious story with Dicksons.

The real early stuff, circa 1890's, came in in-the-white from Birmingham, pre-stamped with a A&D patent use number. Engraving, stocking and finishing likely happened in Edinburgh. They had the workforce to do it, at this time Dicksons had at least 10 men and 6 boys in the workshop.

Dicksons then went through a long period of making up their own A&D 1st Quality boxlocks completely in Edinburgh. There is correspondence and photos to support this. In tandem, 2nd and 3rd quality Boxlocks were likely completed in Birmingham.

Once we get pass the 1950's we see the names of S. Wright & Son, Holloway and W.M. Scott making completely finished guns for Dicksons. The last run of boxlocks as late as the 1970's were by all means Webley & Scott 700 series and even engraved on the barrels "Specially Made for John Dickson & Son".

PM your serial number and I'll see what I have. Period boxlocks came with the names of Capital, Waverley, Caledonian and were associated with their grades, 1st, 2nd and 3rd quality.

Regards
J-PD

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Sidelock
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Hi Tim,

Thanks for the info on your guns, I sent some interesting stuff to you on what was probably on the bench at the same time as your guns!

The Dickson book is currently being put together by Donald Dallas. Having already completed the DMB and Charles Gordon books, the Dickson story was a natural step to complete the set.

My spare time at the moment is consolidating all the info I have picked up over the years and feeding this into Donald in a legible format! Donalds focus at the moment is the family tree and it has already turned up some surprises including a previously unknown living descendant of the last John Dickson!

Regards
J-PD

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Sidelock
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Good news, J-PD,

Anticipate the book with pleasure. Would be willing to provide hi-res digitals of my Dicksons with the original Damascus barrels (rebrowned by Dickson in 1986) including (if I can get it) some rivelling near the chambers) and the new set of Italian steel barrels made by another a few years ago with modern London proof marks. Can PM me.

Yes, found the details, especially about the trio likely on the bench the same time as my gun No. 2, very interesting.

Regards, Tim

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Sidelock
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A well known Birmingham maker {W&S} made quite few blocks for Dickson's in the 70's to my certain knowledge.Engrave "Specially Made for John Dickson " as previously mentioned. This was because of the Trade Description Act that had come in to force which meant that no one could claim that they had made somthing without doing 50%[?} of the total work .Guns prior to that were just marked John Dickson . They were if I recall correctly filed up to give the impression of a round action and had a scalloped back ,but I will stand correcting on that point.I have seen numerous box locks of standard pattern bearing the Dickson name as well as H& H style side locks.

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In a somewhat related question, I have a beautiful 1890 era Mortimer & Son boxlock ejector. Were those guns made in Scotland or were they out worker crafted in Birmingham? They seem to have uniquely short fences and a very "Scottish" style of action filing.

I ask about this question here because Dickson owns Mortimer.

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