doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com J.D. Dougall and Sons

I know from previous postings that production records are lost for Dougall guns. But my question is about the few records that we can piece together. I have read that serial number 3780 equates to 1880 and serial number 4230 dates to 1892. That's 12 years at approx. 37 guns per year. Does that seem right for this caliber of gunmaker? Seems like a fairly low number per year. I have a sweet little sidelock 12 that is serialized 72xx. But that seems like a high number for a gun with the 23 Gordon Street address. (lease ran out in 1904). Any thoughts?

Thanks and best regards-

I read that Dougall had 10 people working in his London shop and twice that many in his Glascow shop. Is it possible that 37 guns per year could keep 30+ people working?

Volume of gun orders rose and fell with the economy and fashion. 37 guns per year is not an unlikely number. Of course, it would not keep thirty men in work. Thirty might have been "on occasion" or his peak, or his imagination. Keep in mind that serial numbers do not necessarily follow strict chronology.

DDA

I was just observing census records from 1881 London.

The London 1881 census notes that Dougall�s London operation employs 10 men. The size of Dougall�s London operation was surprising to me. I had always assumed that Dougall�s guns were built in Glasgow and that the London operation was only for retail sales. The fact that 10 men were employed in the Dougall�s London office indicates that something more was going on in London, i.e., his guns with London addresses on their ribs may have actually been built in London, rather than Glasgow. (From a post at Parker site)

Interesting...

Several other makers used the Dougall Lockfast design. How many of those guns went through the Dougall shop is not known, and what amount of Dougall work might have gone into the guns marked by other makers is also unknown.

Much more convoluted during those days. But that certainly makes sense as to why it's hard to get a true handle on dates and production. The more I read about Dougall and his contributions to the gun making industry, I am surprised he doesn't get more credit. He certainly was a pioneer in a very important transition period of gun making.

I have a fine R. Jeffery of Guildford pinfire with the Lockfast system. Have seen another Jeffery pinfire with that system. Some Lockfast designs were used by U.S. makers/sellers. I have seen one marked Krider,who is well known, and another marked Mills [located in a Southern state which I cannot recall at the moment].

Lloyd, the economics of 10 men/37 guns makes sense. Around this time Purdey the younger remarked that he could keep the factory open with 80 pairs ordered each year and his factory employed about 40 men.
The shops also provided maintenance,repairs,alterations and all sorts of great stuff for their clients to spend money on.
The stark increase in serial #s may have to do with Charles Ingram buying Dougall's Glasgow business in 1893.