Hello lancaster,

Yes, we assume at least 455 were made based on that being the highest number recorded to date. My highest action serial number is 431, and the lowest is 42, with 92, 281, and 302 in between.

As I mentioned yesterday, I made changes to my BREVEX 450 Ackley Mag. This rifle was built without any safety. I generally don't like to mess with the History of a piece, no matter how it looks. I think its important to preserve the builder's ideas of the times. However, the lack of a safety was totally unacceptable. Safety is one of the few things that will cause me to alter a vintage piece.

In this case I added a Winchester Style 3-position safety; the type with the little lock-bar built into it. This feature of a "safety for the safety" is similar to the stalking safety found on my Dan'l Fraser double rifle and my Alex Henry falling block. I'm told this type of "double safety" was intended to keep the gun bearer, who was carrying your rifle behind you, from accidentally bumping off the safety, and shooting you in the back. Sometimes called the "Gun-Bearer Safety".

Pictures below show before and after - and after close-up.