doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Historical Database for English Makers

Howdy:
I seem to have lost the address for the Historical Data Base. I need to locate some info on a William Lacey, a London maker of the late 19th century.
If you have the addy and/or info on this maker, please post.
Best,
John

TTT
Nothing in my refs, John.

John, the web address is http://www.internetgunclub.com. A menu will appear on the left for the historical database.
All the best

No record found @ internetgunclub.com
I will check my records

Thanks very much.
I cannot find much info either. I am assuming that it is William Lacey. Gun is stamped W. Lacey, London. It is a very handsome Damascus barreled rebounding hammer gun. This indicates a build date post 1889.
Two firms are noted in Gardner, with no data other than date info. Lacey and Reynolds and Lacey and Witton. Both defunct decades prior to this guns build date.
Perhaps Dig will see this and jump in.
Best,
John

John,
Is it proofed in London or Birmingham? It could be Belgian.
Found two Lacey's but neither are W or London based.

John, Brown's London Gunmakers has William Lacey listed as a gunmaker at King Street, Stepney, 1850. Seems too early for your gun.

John, what leads to the conclusion that the gun is 1889 or later?

QTRHRS:
The gun has rebounding hammers. Just in case someone doesn't know; the hammers lift off the strikers (firing pins) after they fall and remain slightly off. This was invented and used after 1889.It is a sort of safety and "prevents' accidentally forcing the hammer onto the striker. If this were coupled with a half cock system, then it really have a sure safety.
Now I am laughing. There are some out there that could easily bypass that !!!!
Salopian: The gun was proofed in Birmingham. This might indicate that Lacey was not a maker, at all, but a seller or broker.
The gun is not a high end piece but not a Game Keepers gun either. About the quality and grade that one would expect to see from most of the Birmingham makers of solid and "handy" game guns.
Well built, light and well balanced and with nice wood that is proud of the metal. One small bruise on the forend checkering.
I mention the forgoing for this reason. The barrels are Black and White !!! Another interesting item, to note, is that the Damascus pattern in one barrel is slightly different than the other. One has a slightly thicker barrel wall as well. I have not measured them but it can be seen with the naked eye; both at the muzzle and the breech ends. Several of us have examined the gun and there is absolutely no evidence that it has been touched by a refurbisher. It is simply a very clean, very lightly used game gun that is all original.
Ain't this search fun ???
Best,
John

All good John but Stanton patented rebounding locks in 1867 and a good number of non-rebounders were converted - can be hard to tell.