John Dickson & Son, 63 Princes Street, Edinburgh
12b Box Lock Ejector
No. 6127

Date of manufacture: 1909



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Heritage Guns' Comment

John Dickson & Son are most famous for their trigger plate actions, both in side/side and over/under configuration, but they also made a wide range of more mainstream guns, both sidelocks and as in the case of no. 6127, very fine boxlocks. No. 6127 demonstrates perfectly the Dickson philosophy of fine quality in everything they manufactured and although not ground-breaking in any way, the choice of specification and finish are above reproach. The wood is of lovely quality, chequering crisp and even and internally the finishing is perfect.
Interestingly although this gun is sleeved, it is not just any old 'sleever'. Alan Crewe from Purdey's chose to sleeve this gun in 1991 and the job is of the very highest standard. Rather than leave the barrels unattributed, he had his name engraved on the barrels which says a lot for the quality of the work.
This gun represents the classic boxlock of its day, but is of the very highest quality, and this combined with excellent barrel measurements, fine wood and engraving and sensitive restoration makes it an exceptional gun for either game or clays.


WE REGRET THAT THIS GUN IS NOW SOLD. IF YOU ARE SEARCHING FOR A SIMILAR GUN, PLEASE CONTACT US.

The action is of Anson & Deeley design and features:
Considerable original hardening colour;
Double triggers bolted by automatic top-tang safety slide;
Top lever operating a 'Purdey Bolt' by way of a 'Scott Spindle';
Purdey's concealed third bite;
Deeley ejector box;
Anson forend catch.
There is some corrosion erosion to the breech face.
Gun weight 6lb 8oz
Engraving style Very Best Foliate Scroll. Beaded Fences. Action signed 'JOHN DICKSON & SON'. Action and barrel flats stamped 'J.D&S'. Gold inlaid 'SAFE'.
Trigger pulls measure approximately: Front trigger 3 ½ lbs Rear trigger 4 1/4 lbs
The soft solder sleeved steel barrels are 28" in length, chambered for 2 ¾ " (70mm) cartridges and are of brazed 'dovetail' lump construction with soft soldered ribs.
Top rib
is a smooth concave style.
London reproof for 70mm nitro powder cartridges in 1991

Approximate barrel measurements at date of publication:

 
Nominal Proof Size
Bore Diameter 9" from Breech
Minimum Wall Thickness
Choke Constriction
Right Barrel
18.5mm (0.728")
0.728"
0.030"
0.007" (IC)
Left Barrel
18.5mm (0.728")
0.729"
0.034"
0.027" (Mod)

Original Straight Hand Stock and matching Splinter Forend are crafted from highly figured walnut.
The stock
is lightly cast-off for a right handed shot, features a vacant white metal oval and is finished with a chequered butt.
The forend features bolstered wood and an engraved steel tip.

Highly Figured walnut

The 20 lines per inch chequering has been freshened to the normal boxlock design.
The stock is finished with a traditional linseed oil based preparation as used on best guns by one of the top English makers. This finish uses no grain fillers to achieve its deep, smooth lustre, only many hours of alternate build and flatting off of the surface.

Approximate stock measurements at date of publication:

Pull to Heel
Pull to Bump
Pull to Centre
Pull to Toe
15"
15 1/4"
15 1/8"
15 5/8"
Drop at Comb
Drop at Face
Drop at Heel
1 7/16"
1 5/8"
2 5/16"
Cast-off at Comb
Cast-off at Heel
Negligible
1/8" (approximate)

For the purposes of these measurements, 'Drop at Face' is the 'drop' measurement taken on a line perpendicular to the
line joining the trigger and centre of the butt at approximately 8" from the trigger (front trigger on a double trigger gun).

Patents Exhibited include:
Anson & Deeley's boxlock patent no. 1756 of 1875;
'Purdey Bolt' patent no. 1104 of 1863;
'Purdey Concealed 3rd Bite' patent no 397 of 1878;
'Scott Spindle' patent no. 2752 of 1865;
Deeley's ejector patent no. 4289 of 1886;
Anson's forend fastener patent no. 3791 of 1872.