Take a close look at your lock when the hammer is in the down postion. I bet you'll see the letters "IB", for Joseph Brazier, between the arms of the spring. There are not many locks better than a Brazier. The 2 sets I've had have piercings exactly like the one on your bridle plate.
Spot on - the locks are indeed Ashe and Brazier as I checked this when the locks were off. A few more pics of them if you are interested. Those chaps in the 19th century were certainly craftsmen!
Because Eley stopped making 8 bore cartridges in 1976, reloading is the only realistic option now. As mentioned, Alan Myers does load and sell, but as 5/$8 per shot for non-toxic (ITM), it is not cheap
. Still, it is not as if I fire many cartridges in a seasons wildfowling!
