Charles Gordon was arguably Dickson's most important customer and he is chiefly famous for ordering a large number of percussion and flintlock firearms from this maker at a time when breech-loaders were already pre-eminent in the sporting field. Very few were ever used. The present example is, of course, a breech-loading gun and it was ordered on March 7th. 1885 as a 'Dble CF Breech Loading Rifle Gauge 8; Dble Grip; weight 15½lbs., 14.5/8in. stock, 28in. barrels, Scroll Guard, Iron Butt Plate, Back Locks'. It may, subsequently, have been converted to smooth-bore