Very Early Redesigned Forend Latch?

[Richard B. Hoover]

The question I have is is it possible to tell from examining the barrel that the wedge style lug has been removed and replaced with the King lat h lug??? It looks like the wedge lug is longer and there seems to be a longer darker area in the photo of the 15901 barrels. Is that correct? Do you have another example of the wedge to King Latch conversion to see if that idea holds. The reason I ask is because I have a pre 1878 Parker with a King Latch and it doesn't appear That either the barrel of the forfend have been altered from the wedge style.

Your help in answering this question would be greatly appreciated.


Richard

[Autumn Daze]

Dave,Thank you for the explanation. Page 99 in the TPS states."The new system was based on the Deeley and Edge latch" If King recieved a patent for his new design and we know he did then the mechanism must be different enough. Another thing that I never knew is the the new latch was offered in the 1878 catalog at $5 extra on guns below grade3. The "King" latch became standard in 1880.

Thanks for driving me back to TPS.