doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Alex Martin Sidelock Number 58XX

I have just acquired a very nice Alex Martin Sidelock No 58XX with 30" barrels. Its in good original condition still with 90%+ of the colour on the action and sidelocks. It doesn't look to have been refurbished, just well cared for.

Barrels are engraved Alex Martin, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen

It also has a 2nd pair of barrels - a 25" pair of Ribless barrels engraved with above on one barrel and "Incorporating Alex. Henry on the other.

It comes in a case fitted for the 30" barrels with the Alex Martin trade label and stating "Established 100 years as a gun, rifle and ammunition maker"

I think Alex Martin was incorporated around 1837 so that would make the case 1937.

Would anybody have any idea on the date my Sidelock was made - late 1920's?

Congratulations on your acquisition.

Please post pics. I have never seen a sidelock ribless Martin. I suspect not many others have either.

The pics might also enlighten some about the merits and demerits of ribs.

According to Nigel Brown's British Gunmakers, Vol. 2, serial number 5836 started in 1921.

Records are held by Dickson & MacNaughton of Edinburgh.

Dickson was nice about answering my question on a pair of Alex Martin guns. Unfortunately depending on the particular gun there maybe very little data beyond date of sale and purchaser's name.

Thanks Gentlemen. Mine must have been made in 1920. I will get in touch with Dicksons, but the have recently shut their Edinburgh premises and relocating everything to Dunkeld.

Haven't worked out how to post pictures here, but have posted some on here https://www.thestalkingdirectory.co.uk/showthread.php/136401-Pension-issues-sorted/page2

Well I had a very useful chat with Donald Dallas at Dicksons. It was sold in 1920 for �75 to the directors of one of the top shipbuilders on the Clyde. The 30" barrels are the originals with the 25" ribless added late 1920s or early 30s. Alex Martin didn't introduce the ribless style till then.

Interesting info re the gun and its price. In 1920 a ship fitter earned 5 pounds per week (taken from a parliamentary report of the time) that would be 250 pounds per year. Nearly four times the price of a new Martin sidelock.

In other words with some effort a worker back then could save up enough to buy the same best gun as his boss in a year or two.

Cannot say the same at today's prices! Not many earn four times the price of a current British gun.