I am looking at a John Dickson rebounding hammer gun from the late 1880s. I don't know a lot about this makers hammer guns. Where would his quality rank and the pantheon of English/Scottish 'smiths?

Certainly in the top tier

And near the top of that top tier.

Top notch. They are still well in business and making guns. I was in their other shop and workshop in Dunkeld, Perthshire last August. http://www.dicksonandmacnaughton.com/ The author, Donald Dallas, who works now for Dickson's, has written a book on their history. It lists all their guns by number in the back of the book. Let me know the number and I'll see what it says. Donald's other book on the eccentric gun collector Charles Gordon is also an excellent source of material as Gordon bought Dickson guns at a prodigious rate but never fired them. He was ordering muzzle loaders and such long after they were out of fashion as well as plenty of hammer guns. If yours is a 'Gordon' it bumps the price up. In his later years Gordon was considered insane and his collection was sold off at a fraction of its original value. If you are really interested in finding out more both books are fascinating; but expensive. I think that they are also limited edition. http://donalddallas.com/ Lagopus.....

If you are looking, and looking to actually buy, well then, you are quite fortunate. Just to find a Dickson hammer gun in nice enough condition to wonder whether to buy it or not is a lucky and fairly rare situation to find oneself in.

To dig into ones pockets and find the cash to actually purchase said gun is icing on the cake.

My congratulations (and envy) go out to you, sir!

have you been in contact with dan morgan in woodstock, vt? i would not do anything on a dickson in the US without first talking to him about it. well, ALL scottish guns, actually.

dan is great guy in general and may know the gun you are looking at in particular.

pm sent

It is not wise to try to generalize an individual gun's quality based on the maker's name. The wiser approach is to learn the Brand Value level of the maker's name and judge the quality of the gun in question independently of who made it.

So, to kick off the above, Dickson has Brand Value level two (BV2); so sayeth the market. When you are looking at older guns, you may fairly safely assume that 75% coverage of fine or deep engraving, high grade wood, fine checkering, and tight joinery equal a best work gun. All makers were capable of getting out a best work gun or a farmer gun. The price of the gun determined what quality you got. With Brit guns, you are very unlikely to find a "tart" (a low quality gun with lots of embellishment).

DDA

Check this website:- http://www.gmackinlay.com/home/index.aspx

He is a Dickson specialist & a fine gentleman.

rg

found dan's phone number 802 457-4828. last night looked for it in email and this morning had the brainstorm to actually look in my PHONE. i never claimed to be a brain surgeon.

he is the "official" US rep for dickson, mc,naughton, frasier, horsley, etc. i think he is the US rep/gunsmith for all scottish brands

he loves to talk about scottish guns and has had many of them that are in the US in his hands

To add a little something to Marc's kind remarks, Dan Morgan trained at Dickson.

Dan Morgan is a fine gunsmith and decent man. Gil