About this item
The Adams Rite MS1852S is the narrow stile aluminum door deadlock that contractors and glaziers have been specifying on storefront glass doors for decades. MS stands for Maximum Security, and that name comes from the bolt itself. It's a laminated stainless steel deadbolt nearly 3 inches long that throws through a pivot mechanism rather than a sliding tumbler action. That pivot design is what separates it from a standard cylindrical or mortise deadbolt. When the bolt is fully thrown, any attempt to push, pry, or flex the door open works against the bolt's geometry rather than with it. It's designed specifically for the thin aluminum stile profiles on storefront and commercial glass doors where a standard lock body simply won't fit.
What the Bevel Faceplate Means and Why It Matters
Adams Rite makes the MS1850S series with three faceplate profiles. The flat faceplate is for square-edged door stiles. The radiused faceplate matches rounded door noses. The bevel faceplate-this model, the MS1852S-is the correct choice for aluminum doors with a beveled or angled door edge, which is the most common profile on commercial storefront systems. Ordering the wrong faceplate means the lock won't sit flush, leaves a gap, and looks wrong against the door nose. If you're not certain which profile your door takes, look at the cross-section of the door edge at the latch cutout.
How the Lock Operates
A 360-degree turn of the key or thumbturn throws or retracts the counterbalanced bolt. One of the practical features of the MS design is that the key can only be removed from the cylinder when the bolt is fully in a positively locked or unlocked position. You can't pull the key mid-throw. That gives you visual and tactile confirmation that the bolt is properly seated every time someone locks the door.
The lock accepts any standard 1-5/32-inch diameter mortise cylinder or thumbturn from either or both sides, but the cylinder must have an MS-dimensioned cam. Standard Adams Rite cylinders come with the right cam. If you're trying to use a cylinder from another manufacturer, confirm MS cam compatibility before ordering. The cylinder isn't included with the lock body-it's sold separately.
The Bolt Construction
Eight-ply laminated stainless steel. The layered construction isn't just marketing. Each individual ply is thinner than a solid bolt of equal width, which makes the overall bolt far more resistant to cutting attacks than solid steel of the same dimension. The center ply contains an alumina-ceramic core that defeats hacksaw attacks including the rod-type "super" hacksaws that can cut through solid steel surprisingly quickly. The bolt measures roughly 5/8 inch wide with a substantial throw, and that throw length is what handles installations where the gap between the door and frame is wider than ideal.
Variant Options
The MS1852S is the swinging door version with a straight bolt. If you're working on a sliding narrow stile door, you need the MS1852S-050, which uses a hookbolt instead of a straight bolt to resist the parting motion of a sliding door and jamb. For applications where inside operation should be unlock-only-typically educational facilities-Adams Rite makes the SCH1852S schoolhouse variant with the same faceplate and backset options.
Specifications
Model: Adams Rite MS1852S
Series: MS Maximum Security Deadlock, MS1850S family
Bolt Type: Straight bolt, eight-ply laminated stainless steel
Bolt Construction: Alumina-ceramic center ply, hacksaw-resistant
Faceplate: Bevel profile, 1" x 6-7/8"
Case: Stainless steel, corrosion-resistant plating, 1" x 6" x depth
Cylinder Backset Options: 31/32", 1-1/8", 1-1/2"
Cylinder Compatibility: Any 1-5/32" diameter mortise cylinder or thumbturn with MS cam
Cylinder Included: No, sold separately
Strike Included: No; trim plate, box strike, and armored strike available separately
Handing: Handed, specify LH or RHR at time of order
Operation: 360-degree key or thumbturn, counterbalanced bolt, key withdrawal at locked/unlocked only
Application: Single leaf narrow stile aluminum doors, storefront, commercial glass
Mounting: Machine screws included in standard packaging
American Locksets has stocked Adams Rite MS locks and the full 1850S series since 2001.
Trusted Since 2001
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