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popular wisdom says william evans brand guns were made by others...

their box locks look like webley & scott made guns...

their side locks look like?

any opinions?

Most first name makers brought in box locks from Birmingham trade, and many second lever makers did as well. The most obvious is when they are engraved "shot and regulated" by H&H, but I doubt any of the top five or six makers would bother to make a box lock when they were so easy to bring in either in the white of completely finished. That allowed them to concentrate on side plate guns. Who needs to be master of all things? And even then box locks were not sold as their best quality but rather third or fourth level to meet the request of their clients for a gun for a nephew or game keeper. They still wanted the name to impress but did not want to spend a lot.

But we assume side plate gun and box locks could not both be made to the highest standards. They could and some box locks clearly were but the box lock was so much easier and cheaper to make and stock, it flooded the market on the low price end. We had the Crescent side plate but I have not seen the British equivalent. High grade box locks tend to be rare, like one out of 50, or 100 box locks were top grade, finished to the highest level.

My pair of Evans sidelocks are Webley screw grips, stocked to the fences, beautifully engraved, cased together, and stocked full crossover. I have no idea what a top quality Evans would look like, but I suspect mine are pretty near the top. No letter available, so how would I tell?

eight, ah recall reading that others licensed and used the w & s screw grip....h&h maybe?

found this here:

https://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=269465

it is so wonderful that so many here are willing to share their knowledge...here...

It is not "popular wisdom" it is a fact that their guns were made by others.

And eightbore confirmed that Scott made some of them if not all.

I don't know how much has to be made to qualify as "made by", but after looking at all the 2" Skimin and Wood guns that have someone else's name on them, It is a wonder that anyone made complete guns.

I had an Evans hammer gun, regardless of who made it, it was a damn fine gun. Nicer than the Scott hammer gun I owned at the same time, albeit they were very different guns.

Made by means you build the gun greener made guns but sold barreled actions brazier made barreled actions and complete guns or just locks and actions. a lot of guns sold by iron mongers retail gun dealers etc.never built any part of the gun just ordered it sometimes with extra finish .your evens Scott comparison would be valid if both were the same model and finish I have never seen a Scott that wasn't messed with not be finished to high standard.i have a Scott 1881 that the locks inside are as nice as any gun I have worked on its the same model Holland's sold as the climax.guns were made to a price .

I had a very fancy Evans boxlock, also a screw grip. A photo in the Webley & Scott book looked like it could have been taken of my gun. It was an Anson & Webley 51, the most expensive boxlock they made at the time.

I was at Cyril Adams home 20 years ago and witnessed him value a magnificent matched pair of circa 1914 20 bore best quality William Evans sidelock ejectors with 28 inch barrels and long lop stocks (original). He valued them at $40,000.00 +.
They were of course made by Webley & Scott. Likely the only pair in existence.