Meriden Manufacturing T-Latch number 49

[wayne goerres]

Thanks for the pics Brian. If these were british guns they would be refured to as bar in wood. Being they are american are they still refured to as bar in wood.

[ed good]

fix it, but keep its originality...very nice.

[George Lander]

Very nice Brian: I have had two of these. It is my understanding that the barrels for these guns were made from Civil Way leftover musket barrels by Parker Snow & Co.

Best Regards, George

[charlie cleveland]

love this thread some mighty neat guns here..what was the last serial no of these guns or close to it...charlie

[B. Dudley]

The T-Latch guns had a separate serial numbering system as the "Parker Bros" marked guns.
The highest number mentioned in TPS is 299. But Todd's number 480 has that beat by a bit. I do not think TPS provides any estimate as to how many were possibly made in total. They were only really produced for a couple of years, so I would wager that not many more than 500 or so were made.

And, the PP Parker found section does not address any T-Latch guns.

It is important to remember that there were three separate lines of double guns manufactured with three separate serial number systems.

All started at 1 and went up incrementally.

1: Meriden Manufacturing for Chas Parker T-Latch guns. 1866-1869
2: Charles Parker Maker guns. 1868/69
3: Parker Bros. Guns. 1869 and on.

[Todd K.]

Somewhere I read or maybe I was told that a T-Latch in the 700 serial range is the highest known, but I have never seen one with a higher serial number than my #480. My other T-Latch was in the 180s. I'm sure one of the PGCA members like Greg Schroeder would know.

[Bruce A Lyons]

Congrats Brian. Its like and old Purdey. Fix that baby up!

[Mills]

Very cool guns

[Hammer Gun]

I have looked for a very long time for a decent Tlatch, had the opportunity to buy one in excellent shape in Louisville a couple years ago, but did not want to come off 5 grand for it wish I had now! How many of us have said that! Oh well next time, Gary

[Todd K.]

I understand completely, I sold my first T-Latch at the PGCA event at the Chantilly gun show and figured I'd just go out and buy another one, we'll after 8 years of searching I found my current one at the spring Tulsa show a few years ago, and I won't make that mistake again! My memory from the Louisville show is that you have some really nice hammer guns Gary, so I bet you'll eventually find a nice T-Latch if you are patient.