Lean Dickson & Son

[Dean Weber]

Although I love my many Parkers, this gun is hard to leave home on long walks. 12 gauge, 29 inch, 6 pounds 7 oz.
https://i.imgur.com/D4Rq8IU.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/8Ii5vgQ.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/Yn5qEsO.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/EuLeqsf.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/ThOUhAA.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/n5DUhOn.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/pGjez2h.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/zJwelf2.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/F7I5sw2.jpg

[Brian Dudley]

Beautiful!

[Bob Brown]

After looking at the pics I scrolled down to post a one word response, but Brian beat me to it.

[Daryl Corona]

Now that's exactly how a 12ga. bird gun should look and weigh. Very nice.

[Ken Hill]

Great looking condition, but the wood is superb! Did you get any information on the gun from Dickson's?

Ken

[Shane Jennings]

That gun is gorgeous.

[Dean Weber]

Great looking condition, but the wood is superb! Did you get any information on the gun from Dickson's?

Ken

Ken, I do have that information in an email somewhere. I will see if I can find it and post any interesting facts. I don't recall the actual information other than it is circa 1900 and I believe the initials on the trunk case match the owner.

Dean

[John Campbell]

As someone once opined, "life's too short to hunt with an ugly gun."

[Eric Eis]

So true John..

[Steven Groh]

I'll go with glorious.
It is a veritable celebration of the gunmaker's art, yet sublime in its restrained elegance!
Good Lord, that is a magnificent thing! That is as nice an example of a Dickson round action as I have ever seen.
Enjoy it!

[Patrick Anthony]

Stunning gun. Wow!

[Rick Riddell]

Absolutely love Scottish guns! There is something magical about them, hard to describe accurately but svelte always comes to mind. Even the most basic Scottish boxlock looks and feels amazing in had. Here is a Basic 12 bore out of the highlands, purpose is for walk up grouse shooting on the moors. You have a fantastic gun!

[Garry L Gordon]

Dean, What a gorgeous Dickson. I may have the "older brother" to your gun. Mine is from 1890 according to Dickson's records, and was part of a pair. It also has 29 inch barrels and weighs in at 6 lbs. 3 oz. These round actions are lively in the hands and very well made. Congratulations on being the caretaker of one of the best double gun designs ever.

[john pulis]

Second that on Scottish guns.

[Ken Hill]

Garry,

Your Dickson only has a single screw on the action near the flats. Is this a non-ejector gun?

Thanks,
Ken

[Dean Weber]

Absolutely love Scottish guns! There is something magical about them, hard to describe accurately but svelte always comes to mind. Even the most basic Scottish boxlock looks and feels amazing in had. Here is a Basic 12 bore out of the highlands, purpose is for walk up grouse shooting on the moors. You have a fantastic gun!


Rick,
Thanks for the kind words. I DO like Scottish guns!

[Dean Weber]

Dean, What a gorgeous Dickson. I may have the "older brother" to your gun. Mine is from 1890 according to Dickson's records, and was part of a pair. It also has 29 inch barrels and weighs in at 6 lbs. 3 oz. These round actions are lively in the hands and very well made. Congratulations on being the caretaker of one of the best double gun designs ever.


Garry,
Yours looks to be a very close match. After all they made less than 2000 round actions since 1880. Do you think William Wallace had a Dickson?:)

[Garry L Gordon]

Garry,

Your Dickson only has a single screw on the action near the flats. Is this a non-ejector gun?

Thanks,
Ken

Ken, It's an ejector gun with typical ejectors in the frame.

[Garry L Gordon]

Garry,
Yours looks to be a very close match. After all they made less than 2000 round actions since 1880. Do you think William Wallace had a Dickson?:)

Hmmm...Did Dickson make a double round action crossbow?:)

[Dean Weber]

Ken Hill - This is what they had to say.

https://i.imgur.com/b5Y9AKE.png

The workshop ledger entry notes

Conventional order for a single Round-Action gun, issued with patent number 793 meaning
it’s the 793rd patent gun made since 1880. The gun was fitted with 29in barrels which is the
optimum length for a Round-Action gun.

What we know about the original owner

Alfred Woodrow Stanley Wingate was born in London in 1861, the only child of Rev. William
Wingate. Alfred first enlisted in the military in 1881 at the age of 20 and would have a taste
for adventure. Spending the first part of his career in the British Intelligence Branch of the
‘China Force’ and then moving to India, again working in Intelligence, being promoted to
Captain, 14th Bengal Lancers.
During his time in China, Wingate had an affinity for exploring and making many notes on
the wildlife, returning some insects to the Natural History Museum in London. He would
return to London in 1910 to be married to Letitia Beryl Tucker (who he had met in India) and
have a non-combatant role in the First World War, retiring as a Colonel in 1917. Wingate
died in 1938 at the age of 77 in Camberley, England.
His adventures were published in ‘A Cavalier in China’, an account of a journey through
China in 1898-99. This was published after his death, by his wife, who was an accomplished
editor and publisher of her own books, under the name Mrs. Alfred Wingate.

The business of John Dickson and Son in 1900

Business was buoyant in 1900 with the workshop delivering a total of 72 weapons that year
with 57 being Round-Action’s. Dickson’s best customer, Charles Gordon, only took delivery
of 2 guns in this year.

[John Campbell]

The story of Wingate, the man, is as valuable as the gun itself. Just holding it should connect you with his spirit and the window of time in which he lived. THIS is why these old double guns are so important to those of us who cherish heritage.

[Ken Hill]

Dean,

A lot of information in the report from Dickson's. When I ordered one in 2018, I received the ledger page, but they did not provide any information on the owner. Did you order the details of the gun since J-P has taken over Dickson?

Ken

[Dean Weber]

Ken,
Yes, J-P provided the narrative. If I remember it was not all that expensive and you have to be an Owners Club member.

[Garry L Gordon]

We met J-P at the Southern a couple of years ago and had a good conversation with him. He supplied the record for my round action, and also gave me what information he had about my 28 bore boxlock. Between what he told me about the 28 and the information that Jack Rowe knew of it (because of his knowledge of the maker of the gun for Dickson), I have a pretty good record of both guns. As already posted, it's really nice to have some sense of the history of your gun, one that you can add to with your own use.

(Ken, BTW, I'm not sure if Charles Gordon is a distant relative, but the Duke of Gordon is. Nice to keep the dogs in the family:))

[Ken Hill]

A nice letter from Dickson. I've corresponded with J-P quite a bit on Dickson 5028. It is a number 2 gun, but isn't in the ledgers. It's hard to believe this picture is now 6 years old. A Dickson should have a Gordon to hunt with.

http://parkerguns.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=893&pictureid=11729[/IMG]

Ken

[Garry L Gordon]

A nice letter from Dickson. I've corresponded with J-P quite a bit on Dickson 5028. It is a number 2 gun, but isn't in the ledgers. It's hard to believe this picture is now 6 years old. A Dickson should have a Gordon to hunt with.

http://parkerguns.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=893&pictureid=11729[/IMG]

Ken

Amen to that! (And a Dickson will also look good with a "Red and Black" brace.)

[Richard Dow]

I have the KELL engraved Dickson (On their web site) arriving here soon. It also will be hunting along side a Gordon.

[Ken Hill]

Richard,

It looks like a very nicely done Dickson. Hope you enjoy it and take it out.

Ken

[Ken Hill]

This Dickson has a bold block engraving pattern. According to J-P maybe 40 guns were in engraved in this style. The style probably wasn't a winner with Dickson owners.

http://parkerguns.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=893&pictureid=12938

Dean,

Sorry for hijacking your thread.

Ken

[Garry L Gordon]

I have the KELL engraved Dickson (On their web site) arriving here soon. It also will be hunting along side a Gordon.

Richard, I'd sure like to see pictures -- of gun AND Gordon -- when you have some to share.

Dean, I add my apologies to those offered by Ken. You started a nice line, though. Thanks.

[Dean Weber]

Ken/Garry,
No problem, these are great discussions and why you start one. To see where it will lead....

[Richard Dow]

I will definitely hunt the Dickson and I will post pictures of my Gordon Archie next to it and hopefully a bird or two.

[Scott Barter]

Wanna trade for a VH 12 ga? :)

That’s my dream gun right there!

[chris dawe]

probably the only shotgun make in the world I get excited over

[Rich Anderson]

Very nice. Some 2 inch RST shells and your ready for the grouse coverts this fall.

[Ken Hill]

This is a link on the Dickson RA shooting aspects https://www.youtube.com/watch?fbclid=IwAR1tenl_9_WScKYA7PsR3XdzTen0f2Oe8sY 52XXdBIB0lnA_DYV9Ew5Qom8&v=EhHPSrVylwo&feature=youtu.be. Some of you may have seen it.

Ken

[Garry L Gordon]

I will definitely hunt the Dickson and I will post pictures of my Gordon Archie next to it and hopefully a bird or two.

Just sittin' here in the depths of the after-the-season doldrums wishing I could see some pictures of a Dickson and a Gordon...or a Dickson and a Lab...or a Red Setter...

[Garry L Gordon]

Just to get the thread revived:

[Ken Hill]

Garry,

It was a tough year for birds. This is a picture of the Bliss(ter) as we were resting during a long day. http://parkerguns.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=893&pictureid=13704. Walked a lot of miles this day to only put up 3 hens and a small covey of quail. Glad the Dickson weighs 6lb 5oz.

I can't figure out how to rotate the picture!

Ken

[Ken Hill]

Thanks for bringing this thread back up. It's almost 1.5 years old.

Ken

[Dean Weber]

Garry,
Well they are not together, but it tells the story. Tired lab in the hotel. Birds in the bag.

https://i.imgur.com/9WN8dGK.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/IA5mRbA.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/5qfSx85.jpg

Stay motivated.

[Ken Hill]

Dean,

Glad to see you don't spoil your bird dog too much!

Ken

[Garry L Gordon]

Thanks, guys!

Here's Ken's pup when the world is right (side up). Dean, the dog on the bed looks very familiar except in our version he's black.

Dogs and vintage guns. What a privilege to be owned by one and the caretaker of the other.