vintage 12ga. - mission impossible ?

[schutzen-jager]

recently acquired this - was used as wall hanger at defunct country club - no markings except Belgium Liege proofs - steel barrels excellent 2 5/8" chambers - solid, tight overall condition - on my old computer i had the website of a gunsmith in PA. that showed hundreds of sidelocks + hammers for sale - any help would be appreciated -
thanks in advance - .

[Mk42gunner]

Stupid question time. How do you open it? I don't see a top lever, and it doesn't look like it should have a Jones under lever either.

Robert

[schutzen-jager]

old system under lever - provide very tight lock up =

also a Robert

[Texas by God]

I’m not saying that finding ANY side lock(s) will be easy, but those Back Action locks may be even harder to find. Good luck to you.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Rusty Goose]

I was just perusing Ebay in the Vintage Hunting Gun Parts (or sumsuch) category. There was quite a few locks and trigger groups represented there.

[schutzen-jager]

thanks, i saw a few yesterday + one looked good - emailed seller for dimensions + waiting for a reply -

[Mk42gunner]

old system under lever - provide very tight lock up =

also a Robert

I see said the blind man. Going back to the first post the thumb piece is visible, I just thought it was something the gun was sitting on.

I can see how a person could make it work, especially in the days when the now standard top lever was patent protected.

Robert

[Jackrabbit1957]

You might check on Husqavarna parts, that style is the same shotgun. The locks aren't the best quality as they are unsupported on the back side of the tumbler. You might look at Ebay or Jack First. Gun Parts Corp may have something as well.

[schutzen-jager]

the Swedish Husqavarna did not use the back action style locks like my Belgian one that i'm aware of - no go at Numrich or Jack First - still trying to find the website of the repairer in PA. that was on my old computer -

[Jackrabbit1957]

That info may not be correct, I have a friend with one marked Husqavarna that's identical to one I have that is the same as the one in the photos. I will look to see if mine has any manufacturer marks.

[schutzen-jager]

interesting - mine definitely has Liege Belgium proofs - i was at Sarco when the Husqavarna shipment arrived + i recall all i saw having bar action + not back action locks - they had barrels full of the Swedes + some did have the under levers -

[Cree]

What you’ve got is, as you and others have noted, a Belgium gun using the Lafecheaux (sp?) action. Husqavarna used the same basic action longer, and got into the “better” steel, but they are interesting guns to say the least. I bought one cheaply years ago to test some different rust bluing and cold bluing techniques on. Most of the guns using this action coming out of Belgium at that time (1880-1910) were marketed under the “Richards” name to (undoubtedly) play off of Britain’s Westley Richards reputation. I actually did fire mine a few times after it was all said and done, but there was a string and a tire involved. Your best bet is likely to look in Ebay with some kind of search term for “Richards gun part” or something like that, and you’ll either get them for next to nothing or the seller will be asking a fortune, because, “Hey! It’s old and surely valuable!”

I will look in my parts stash, because I might have kept the locks off a second parts gun I bought. PM me and I will look tomorrow when I’m in the shop…

Cree