Meriden Manufacturing T-Latch number 49

[B. Dudley]

By request of a member in another thread, here are some photos and some particulars on the T-Latch that I aquired recently. It is serial number 49.
Barrels are just under 28" long. Chambered for 12g shells.

The locks function great. The gun has been fitted with floating firing pins.
The bores are surprisingly in ok condition. Some shallow pitting and scoring, but overall shiny.

The breech is lose as all heck of course. It has no up and down movement really, but a ton of side to side play when closed.

The back half of the stock is not original. One can tell by the filling of old inletting behind the upper tang and in front of the trigger plate, that the stock was retrofitted from an old muzzleloader. Surprisingly, the action and locks sit into it pretty well.

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[B. Dudley]

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[B. Dudley]

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[B. Dudley]

Forgive the multiple posts. My I phone will only let me post one pic at a time.

Anyone else out there have T-Latch guns to share?

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[OH Osthaus]

nice find Brian,

I'd love to see it next time I stop by.

[David Noble]

Here's a picture of my T Latch serial #70. I acquired this gun in the mid 80's. Externally it was in very good condition! The stock and forearm were excellent. The bores were dark but just lightly pitted. Unfortunately, I sold this gun around 2002 to raise money for something else. I never shot the gun because it had decarbonized steel barrels.
The extractor setup was very primitive! If you ever have a chance to examine a T Latch make sure to observe the extractors!
Perhaps Brian could photograph his for everyone to see.

[Todd K.]

I love the old T-Latches but they are difficult to find, I've only owned 2 of them although I am always on the lookout for another one. Attached are some pics of #480. For those of you who went to the NRA show at Houston earlier this year it was one of the guns at the PGCA exhibit.

[B. Dudley]

Yeah, the extractor are Very precarious on these guns. And of course, mine have been worked on before. Looks like they have been replaced.

Mine is pretty darn beat compared to the looks of the two additional ones posted.

I have debated on doing some repair work to the gun and fixing some of the serious issues like barrel fit and other things. But, given it is a gun that will never really be a shooter, it may not be worth the hassle.

[Todd K.]

I wouldn't shoot mine either, the ejectors fall right out of most of these guns and usually lost. Most of the T-Latch guns are in pretty rough shape.

[John Gardner]

Very cool Brian, David, Todd. Thanks for sharing