Dickson triple barrel 16 gauge sidelever

Kilrymont Ian
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Dickson triple barrel 16 gauge sidelever
Dickson triple barrel 16 gauge sidelever

This is an exceedingly rare shotgun by John Dickson of Edinburgh. It is a side by side by side.

It's a sixteen bore weapon, built as a one off for the director of Dickson's in 1882.

God alone knows what it would cost to have this built nowadays. You'd have to be boss of a medium sized oil producing country to afford it.

Dickson guns were (are still) easily the equal of anything produced in London, normally thought of as the home of "best" quality guns; normally sidelock ejector double side by sides by top names like Purdeys, Boss, Holland & Holland, Churchill.

Edinburgh had John Dickson, Glasgow had Alex Martin. Both made slightly different versions of the "Round Action" gun.

However the unique gun illustrated in these half dozen shots does not use the "ordinary Round Action" action. It's a sidelever a bit like some of the best Steven Grant back action sidelocks.

Here is some text from another source on this gun -

"Dickson & Murray's patent No. 2, action patent No. 50, sidelever action with quadruple-bolts engaging two pairs of lumps in parallel, three-trigger round-action non-ejector mechanism, with articulation, gold cocking-indicator pins, automatic safe, each fence carved with a lobate bolster, best foliate-scroll engraving with traces of hardening-colour, well-figured stock (inserts at the head) with ornate border chequering and extension, lever-latch forend with horn tip, the browned fine damascus barrels arranged in line, with twin sunken ribs and central small muzzle-bead
Weight 7lb. 3oz., 14¾in. pull, 28in. barrels, choke approx. cyl. (right), I.C. (mid) and 5/8 (left), 2½in. chambers, Black Powder proof."

I was privileged to be allowed to handle this gun at a game fair perhaps four or five years ago in the show premises of one of the major dealers there. Aside from its rather odd handling and feeling strangely broad above the fore-end, also having it point of balance a bit further forward than many Round Actions, it handled very nicely.

The fit of the stock to the action was up to the usual standard expected of guns of this order, the engraving was a delight.

For some reason it was made a sixteen bore. Possibly the makers advised it could be a little sluggish handling if made up to twelve bore size? As the two calibres are so similar it can't surely have been because of the stature of the user? It's just guesswork really, and completely unimportant anyway.

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Taken on: June 28, 2005
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Camera: Konica Minolta Photo Imaging, Inc. DiMAGE G600, f/2.8, 1/80 sec, 8mm, ISO 50 (more info) (hide info)
Camera: Konica Minolta Photo Imaging, Inc. DiMAGE G600
Aperture: f/2.8
Exposure Time: 0.013 sec (1/80)
Focal Length: 8mm
ISO: 50
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
Flash: On, Fired
Exposure Mode: Auto
Metering Mode: Center-weighted average
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Color Space: sRGB
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