If a desired configuration is not in the configurator, send us a live chat or email for us to help.
MSE Series - ANSI Grade 1 Heavy Duty Mortise Lock
Description
MS Series Motorized mortise lock is designed to handle single opening, stand-alone applications, or can be readily integrated into sophisticated access control systems.
Features:
- Escutcheon trim
- Single opening
- Stand-alone applications
- Ready for access control system integration
- Optional status sensors: REX(request-to-exit), PRIV(privacy), DAJ(door ajar), MKO(mechanical key override)
- 2-year manufacturer’s warranty

Backset
- 2-3/4"
Strike
- ANSI strike, plated\stainless steel
Latch Bolt
- 3/4" projection, stainless steel, split, anti-friction
Guard Bolt
- Stainless steel
Faceplate
- 1-1/4" x 8", stainless steel
Escutcheon
- 10-9/16" x 2-3/8" x 9/32", brass
Lever Parameters
- Forged brass\cast zinc, plated to match finish symbols
Thumb Turn
- Brass, Classic Visible standard
Stop Works
- Stainless Steel, Rocker Type
RESOURCES
- Template: MSS Template
Manufacturer Resources
Product Specs
- Series:
- MSE Series
- Product Group:
- Mechanical Locks
- Product Subgroup:
- Mortise Locks and Trim
- Product Type:
- Mortise Locks
- Subcategory:
- Mortise Locks
- Keyed Function:
- Non-Keyed
- Commercial/Residential:
- Commercial
- Lock Type:
- Mortise
- Keyed:
- No
- Lock Function:
- Non-Keyed
- Grade:
- Grade 1
- Duty Level:
- Heavy Duty
- Product Attribute:
- Mortise Locks
- Electronic:
- No
- Product Function:
- Privacy/Bed/Bath
- Product Category:
- Mechanical Locks
- Department:
- Door Hardware
TownSteel MSE-R-T-02-626 – Frequently Asked Questions
1) Will the TownSteel MSE privacy mortise lock drop into an existing 2-3/4 inch backset mortise prep?
The MSE Series privacy lock is built on a 2-3/4 inch backset, which is the standard commercial mortise backset, and it uses a 1-1/4 x 8 inch stainless steel faceplate. If the existing pocket was cut for a standard ANSI mortise body at that backset with an 8 inch face, it lines up. The lock ships with an ANSI strike in plated or stainless steel, so the frame prep should be the standard ANSI strike cutout.
2) Is there a key or cylinder on the TownSteel MSE privacy mortise lock?
No cylinder. The MSE privacy/bath configuration is non-keyed: a brass thumb turn on the inside throws the lock, and there is no keyway on the outside. If you need key override or an outside cylinder, this is the wrong function to order.
3) Do I have to specify handing when ordering a TownSteel MSE mortise lock?
Yes, handing is required. You pick LH, RH, LHR, or RHR at order time. Stand outside the door: hinges on the left is left hand, hinges on the right is right hand; add the reverse designation if the door swings out toward you.
4) What do I need to choose to build a complete TownSteel MSE privacy lockset?
Four decisions. Handing (LH, RH, LHR, RHR), escutcheon height (MSE Low or MSE Regular), lever style from eight options (Artistic, Congr, Gala, Imperial, Quest, Regal, Sentinel, Tango), and finish from seven (605 bright brass, 606 satin brass, 622 matte black, 625 bright chrome, 626 satin chrome, 629 bright stainless, 630 satin stainless). Levers are plated to match the finish symbol you pick.
5) Will this lock latch reliably on a restroom door that gets constant use?
The MSE is an ANSI Grade 1 heavy duty commercial lock, which is the top ANSI/BHMA durability tier for high-traffic openings. The latch bolt is stainless steel, split and anti-friction, with a 3/4 inch projection, and a stainless guard bolt deadlocks it. The 3/4 inch throw is the standard ANSI mortise latch projection, so it engages a normal ANSI strike lip without a special strike.
6) What is a direct alternative to the TownSteel MSE privacy mortise lock from another brand?
The Cal-Royal NM8440 is a Grade 1 privacy/bed/bath mortise lockset with a deadbolt, sized for a 1-3/4 inch door. The Hager 3840S is also a Grade 1 privacy mortise lock with a 2-3/4 inch backset for 1-3/4 to 2 inch doors, matching the 2-3/4 inch backset of the TownSteel MSE. The MSE differs in that it is supplied with escutcheon trim in low or regular height, while the Hager 3840S uses the 3800 Series trim.
7) I need the same lock but on a door that only needs a latch, no locking - what should I order instead?
For a hall or closet opening with no privacy requirement, the Hager 3810E is a Grade 1 passage mortise lock with escutcheon trim and a 2-3/4 inch backset, so it keeps the same backset and escutcheon presentation as the TownSteel MSE privacy lock. The Falcon MA101 is a Grade 1 heavy-duty mortise passage lock that is field reversible and fire rated, and the Schlage PM010 is a Grade 1 non-keyed passage latch mortise lock for 1-3/4 inch doors. The MSE privacy version adds a thumb turn and rocker-type stop works that passage functions do not have.
8) The opening needs to be keyed from the corridor side - what mortise lock covers that instead of the privacy MSE?
The TownSteel MSE privacy/bath function is non-keyed, so it will not accept a corridor key. For a keyed opening, the Cal-Royal NM8080 is a Grade 1 storeroom mortise lockset with an interchangeable core option for 1-3/4 inch doors, the Accentra 8805FL is a Grade 1 storeroom mortise lock with the Arcadia lever, and the Corbin Russwin ML2003 is a Grade 1 mortise classroom lockset for 1-3/4 inch doors.
9) Is the Schlage CO-100 privacy mortise lock the same thing as the TownSteel MSE privacy?
They share the function but not the technology. The Schlage CO-100-MS-40-KP is a standalone electronic mortise lock with a keypad reader, Grade 1, heavy duty, privacy function, for 1-3/4 inch doors. The TownSteel MSE privacy/bath lock is mechanical and non-electronic, operated by a brass thumb turn with escutcheon trim. Choose the CO-100 if you need code-based access records; choose the MSE if the opening is a plain bed or bath door with no power or credential requirement.
10) How much face of the door does the MSE escutcheon trim cover?
The brass escutcheon measures 10-9/16 x 2-3/8 x 9/32 inches. That 2-3/8 inch width is the one to check against your stile before ordering, especially on a narrow stile aluminum or glass door. A low escutcheon option is also offered if the taller plate crowds a vision lite or a closer bracket.
11) Is the TownSteel MSE privacy lock electronic or wired for access control?
No. This MSE privacy/bath configuration is a mechanical, non-electronic lock. If you want a credential-read or keypad mortise lock for the same opening, ZenSupply carries the Schlage CO-100 standalone electronic mortise lock in privacy function, or the Dormakaba E-Plex 2066 pushbutton keyless mortise lock.
12) Does the MSE privacy lock have a deadbolt, and what if I need one?
The MSE privacy function locks with a thumb turn against the latch bolt and guard bolt; no separate deadbolt is part of this configuration. If the spec calls for a privacy set with a deadbolt, the Cal-Royal NM8440 is a Grade 1 privacy mortise lockset with a deadbolt for 1-3/4 inch doors.
13) What is the difference between this escutcheon mortise lock and a rose-trim privacy mortise lock?
Escutcheon trim is a single long plate that covers the lever and the thumb turn together, which hides old fastener holes and wear on a replacement job and reads as a heavier commercial look. Rose trim is two small round plates instead. The MSE uses escutcheon trim. If your other openings run rose trim, Hager's 3840S is a Grade 1 privacy mortise lock at the same 2-3/4 inch backset, and Hager offers rose versions in the 3800 Series such as the 3810S passage.
14) Can I match the MSE privacy lock to the other doors in my building if they are keyed functions?
Finish and lever style are the matching points. The MSE offers seven finishes (605, 606, 622, 625, 626, 629, 630) and eight lever designs, all within the same MSE Series escutcheon housing, so a privacy set on a restroom can be specified to look identical to keyed MSE openings elsewhere in the building. The lever is forged brass or cast zinc plated to the finish symbol you order.
15) What looks like a substitute for the MSE privacy mortise lock but will not actually work?
Trim-only and body-only items are the common mix-up. The Sargent 130KB and 130W are standard duty mortise thumbturns, parts rather than complete locksets. The Schlage L0170 is a Grade 1 half dummy trim with no latching at all, and the Emtek 3102 Memphis and 3104 Hamilton are dummy function mortise entrance locksets. The Sargent 4874 is a double cylinder mortise deadbolt with a 2-3/4 inch backset and provides no latch or lever operation. None of these give the privacy latch plus thumb turn the TownSteel MSE provides.
16) I only need to replace the lock body behind existing trim - is there an option for that instead of the full MSE lockset?
Yes. The BEST 45H Series heavy duty mortise lock body is sold as a body with public entrance function and field reversible operation, and the 45HCA Series heavy duty mortise lockbody covers the intruder function. The Baldwin 6301 and 6310 are also mortise lock bodies on a 2-1/2 inch backset. The TownSteel MSE ships as a complete heavy duty escutcheon lockset on a 2-3/4 inch backset with lever, escutcheon, and thumb turn, so confirm the backset in the door before swapping a body of a different dimension.
17) For a patient or restroom door that needs push/pull hardware rather than a lever, what replaces the MSE privacy lockset?
The Marks USA 5PDN is a Grade 1 hospital passage mortise push/pull paddleset that is ligature resistant and ADA compliant in satin stainless steel. It suits behavioral health and hospital openings where a lever is not acceptable. The TownSteel MSE privacy lock instead uses a lever, offered in Artistic, Congr, Gala, Imperial, Quest, Regal, Sentinel, and Tango styles with a brass thumb turn for the privacy function.
18) What should I use on an office door where the MSE privacy function is not appropriate?
For an office opening, the Hager 3850E is a Grade 1 office mortise lock with lever and escutcheon trim, non-keyed, on a 2-3/4 inch backset for 1-3/4 to 2-1/2 inch doors, which is the closest match to the escutcheon and 2-3/4 inch backset of the TownSteel MSE. The Cal-Royal NM8050 is a Grade 1 office/entrance mortise lockset with auxiliary deadlatch for 1-3/4 inch doors if you want the deadlatch feature.
19) Can I standardize a dorm floor on the MSE privacy lock, or is there a better fit for the entry doors?
The MSE privacy/bath function suits the bathroom doors. For the dorm entry doors themselves, the Sargent 7925 is a Grade 1 heavy duty corridor/dormitory exit function mortise lock with rose trim and a single cylinder deadbolt. Note the trim difference: the 7925 uses rose trim while the TownSteel MSE uses escutcheon trim in low or regular height, so the two will not present identically down a corridor.
20) Is there a cylindrical alternative if the door is not prepped for a mortise pocket?
A mortise pocket is required for the TownSteel MSE, which is a mortise lock type. If the door has only a cylindrical bore, the Schlage PC10 is a Grade 1 non-keyed passage cylindrical lock with rose trim for 1-3/4 inch doors. It is a passage function rather than privacy, so verify the opening does not require a thumb turn before substituting.
21) Is a passage function available instead of privacy if the door does not need to lock?
This MSE configuration is privacy/bed/bath, so it locks from the inside. For a non-locking opening, look at a passage mortise lock: the Falcon MA101 is a Grade 1 heavy duty mortise passage lock with field reversible operation, and the Schlage PM010 is a Grade 1 non-keyed passage mortise latch for 1-3/4 inch doors.
22) Is there a template for cutting the door for the TownSteel MSE mortise lock?
TownSteel publishes the MSS template for this mortise prep, and it is linked from the MSE Series product information. Use it to lay out the lock pocket, the 2-3/4 inch backset lever and thumb turn holes, and the 1-1/4 x 8 inch faceplate mortise before you cut.
How fast can I get the TownSteel MSE-R-T-02-626 delivered?
Most orders ship the same day from our distribution partners, with quick delivery throughout the
continental
U.S.
Need it urgently? Contact Us for expedited shipping options.
Can I return it if it doesn’t work for me?
Yes—ZenSupply offers a hassle-free return policy. If the product isn’t the right fit,
reach out to our support team for a return authorization or setup a return by following our return instructions.
Does the TownSteel MSE-R-T-02-626 come with a warranty?
Absolutely. The TownSteel MSE-R-T-02-626 is backed by a manufacturer’s warranty.
For full warranty terms, check the product documentation or Contact Us.
How do I get technical support or installation help for the TownSteel MSE-R-T-02-626?
You can call, text, or email our expert support team for fast answers. We’re here to help with
product
selection,
installation tips, and troubleshooting. Contact Us
Why buy the TownSteel MSE-R-T-02-626 from ZenSupply?
ZenSupply makes it easy to get the commercial door hardware you need—fast shipping, expert support,
and
rewards on
every order.
Our team is always ready to help you choose the right product for your project.