Does anyone know when side clips were "invented"? I have a Purdey Ca. 1873 that has them, also a little later double rifle.

All the Best,

Mal

Mr MacGregor,If you contact Mr Alan Crewe,Former Actioner at Purdeys, he may be able to "DateYou". (or "The Grand Old Man of the British Gun Trade, Mr Jack Rowe. I have their Pho.#. Give me a 'Bell'C/C,trevallion.

Purdeys came up with the "sliding double underbite" action ca 1866, combined it with the Scott spindle top lever in 1869 to create the classic action of today. Their patented "hidden" third bite came out in 1878. Did they originate "clip sides to action" as well? If so, their innovation regarding the development of the double SXS action, as we know it in its most complex form; as used in heavy proof guns and double rifles, is beyond compare. I can find no reference to side clips in any of my books. Please help with info regarding any early guns known with "clips".

Thank-you,

Mal

Here are pictures of my .577 Alex Henry that was built in 1875 and has the Purdey Bolt 1104 stamp on the water table

Now THOSE are sideclips! I had forgotten that Henry used them on some of his double rifles. The clips on my Purdey are somewhat more discrete.
Best,
Mal

Those are cool... And certainly look somewhat "early".
I have been looking at the UK patents without any success.
So either they have existed for a very long time, or the inventor did not believe in/ could not afford patents.
Best regards,
WC-

As far as my researches have shown, side clips were never the subject of a patent. I don't think they were even illustrated in a patent drawing but I may be wrong.
Purdey, Woodward, Boswell, in fact anybody who had powerful guns for heavy loads used them and I don't think that Purdey stood out as a particular early user. I have seen very few Purdey hammerguns with sideclips but plenty of lesser names.
I suspect that they became a required feature once someone won a big bet/prize with them fitted and everybody followed suite, including the most illustrious. They simply supplied what the customer demanded, especially in the live pigeon matches.
Yes, Purdey patented a couple of very important mechanisms but I doubt they were interested in a feature which frankly achieves very little for a shotgun (arguably more important in a double rifle). They just followed the fashion.
IMHO