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The Adams Rite MS1850 and MS1890 are the two heavy-duty narrow-stile deadlocks specified for aluminum storefront doors across North American commercial construction. Both are ANSI/BHMA Grade 1, both mount into a narrow aluminum stile, and both are engineered for the specific physics of a storefront door — thin metal frame, tight backset, full-glass lite. They differ in bolt geometry and backset, and those two differences drive the correct selection for a given opening.

For the broader storefront hardware framework, start with How to Choose Storefront Hardware for Aluminum Doors and Commercial Door Hardware for Retail and Storefront. For the parts ecosystem around these locks, Storefront Lock Parts: Strikes, Spacers, Cams, and More is the reference.

Quick verdict

• Adams Rite MS1850 → the hook bolt deadlock. Use this on sliding doors, pairs of doors without a mullion, or any opening where the bolt must pull the door tight against the strike and resist a horizontal pull attack.
• Adams Rite MS1890 → the straight bolt (also called “deadlock bolt”) deadlock. Use this on single swinging aluminum storefront doors with a conventional strike jamb.

Both are Grade 1, both are UL-listed for forced entry resistance, both accept standard mortise cylinders, and both install into the common narrow-stile prep used by every major storefront manufacturer (Kawneer, YKK AP, Arcadia, CRL-US Aluminum, EFCO).

Entity attributes side-by-side

Attribute	Adams Rite MS1850	Adams Rite MS1890
Bolt type	Hookbolt	Straight deadbolt
Bolt throw	1-1/8”	1”
Typical backset	31/32” or 1-1/8”	31/32” or 1-1/8”
Door type	Sliding, pairs without mullion	Swinging single or pair with mullion
Stile width minimum	1-3/4”	1-3/4”
Cylinder	Standard 1-1/8” mortise cylinder	Standard 1-1/8” mortise cylinder
Finish options	Aluminum (US28), Dark bronze (313), Black, Chrome	Aluminum (US28), Dark bronze (313), Black, Chrome
ANSI grade	Grade 1	Grade 1
UL 437 forced entry	Yes	Yes
Fire-rated	With MS1850-F suffix	With MS1890-F suffix
Typical price tier	Mid	Mid

Both products are part of Adams Rite’s MS family of narrow-stile storefront deadlocks. If you are trying to decide whether a deadlock is even the right lock type on this opening (vs. a deadlatch or a panic device), read How to Choose the Best Commercial Deadbolts.

Adams Rite MS1850: the hookbolt deadlock

The Adams Rite MS1850 is the hookbolt variant of the MS series. When the cylinder is turned, a curved hook-shaped bolt rotates out of the lock body and engages a strike on the opposite door or jamb. The hookbolt shape does two things that a straight bolt cannot:

1. It pulls the door tight against the strike, which matters on openings that have racked or warped.
2. It resists horizontal pull attacks — an attacker pulling outward on a pair of doors cannot force the hook out of the strike without destroying the door edge.

Choose the MS1850 when:

• The opening is a sliding aluminum door.
• The opening is a pair of swinging aluminum doors without a mullion, where the active leaf locks into the inactive leaf.
• The door has a history of being pried or forced at the lock line — the hook geometry resists this attack.
• The door has racked and a straight bolt no longer reliably catches the strike.

Skip the MS1850 when:

• The door is a single swinging door into a jamb — a straight-bolt MS1890 is faster to install and less expensive to stock.
• The strike cannot accommodate a hookbolt cutout — some older aluminum jambs have a narrow strike pocket that will not accept the MS1850 hook profile.

Shop the MS1850 in the Storefront Deadlocks subcategory — the exact subcategory for every MS series hookbolt and straight-bolt lock.

Adams Rite MS1890: the straight deadbolt

The Adams Rite MS1890 is the straight-bolt deadlock and the default for most narrow-stile storefront doors. When the cylinder is turned, a straight 1” throw bolt extends into the jamb strike. The bolt is laminated steel with an anti-saw insert, rated for Grade 1 forced-entry resistance under ANSI/BHMA A156.5.

Choose the MS1890 when:

• The door is a single swinging aluminum storefront door — the most common storefront configuration in commercial retail.
• The door is one half of a pair with a removable or fixed mullion, and the active leaf locks into the mullion’s strike.
• You want the simplest install and the widest stocked availability on backsets and finishes.
• The opening is being retrofitted from a failed older deadlock and the existing strike pocket is a straight cut.

Skip the MS1890 when:

• The door is a sliding door — the straight bolt cannot retain a slider against racking forces. Use the MS1850.
• The doors are a pair without a mullion — pulling on the pair will separate a straight-bolt engagement. Use the MS1850 hookbolt or add a flush bolt on the inactive leaf.

Shop the MS1890 in the Storefront Deadlocks subcategory. For the companion daytime latch, see Storefront Deadlatches, and for the matching handle trim, Storefront Trims.

Backset: the spec detail nobody checks twice

Adams Rite MS deadlocks ship in two standard backsets: 31/32” and 1-1/8”. These correspond to the two most common aluminum storefront stile widths. Ordering the wrong backset means the cylinder will not align with the door’s pre-drilled cylinder hole, and the lock will not install.

31/32” backset is the older, narrower storefront standard. It is found on most pre-2000 Kawneer and US Aluminum doors and on some European-made stiles.

1-1/8” backset is the current commercial standard and the default on most modern storefront product lines.

Before ordering, confirm the backset by measuring the existing door from the edge of the stile to the centerline of the cylinder hole. If the building has a mix of stile widths, order both backsets and label the boxes by opening.

For the complete parts story — strikes, spacers, cams, tail pieces — see Storefront Lock Parts: Strikes, Spacers, Cams, and More.

Cylinder selection

Both the MS1850 and MS1890 accept a standard 1-1/8” mortise cylinder with a cam that matches the Adams Rite spec. Most mortise cylinders will work, but:

• Cam orientation: Adams Rite cylinders use a specific cam orientation. A mortise cylinder intended for a Schlage or Sargent mortise lock will not drive the Adams Rite bolt correctly without a cam swap.
• High-security cylinders: Medeco, Mul-T-Lock, ASSA, and other high-security cylinders are available with Adams Rite cams. If the storefront is in a jurisdiction with high commercial burglary rates, upgrade the cylinder — the lock body is Grade 1 but the cylinder is the real attack surface. For the full framework, see our Medeco vs Mul-T-Lock vs ASSA High-Security Cylinder guide.
• IC cores: Adams Rite locks can be converted to accept SFIC or LFIC cores with the correct housing. For the decision between SFIC and LFIC, see SFIC vs LFIC Interchangeable Cores Explained.

Paired with trim and latches

On a typical storefront door, the MS1850 or MS1890 is one of three hardware pieces on the opening:

1. Deadlock (MS1850 or MS1890) — keyed access after hours.
2. Deadlatch (Adams Rite 4710 series or similar, stocked in Storefront Deadlatches) — spring-loaded latch for normal daytime operation, typically paired with a push/pull handle or paddle.
3. Paddle or lever trim (stocked in Storefront Trims) — the daytime actuator. For the paddle-vs-lever decision, see How to Choose Storefront Door Trims: Paddle vs Lever.

Never install a deadlock alone on a storefront door. Without a deadlatch, the door has no daytime latching and will swing freely.

Install checklist

1. Measure stile width and backset — confirm 31/32” or 1-1/8”.
2. Verify the cylinder hole is on the correct side of the bolt for the door handing.
3. Order the matching strike — hookbolt strike for MS1850, straight strike for MS1890.
4. Match the cylinder cam to the Adams Rite spec.
5. Check fire-rated requirements — if the opening is fire-rated, order the -F variant and use a UL-listed cylinder and strike.
6. Confirm finish — aluminum (US28), dark bronze (313), black, and chrome are standard. Match to the rest of the door hardware.
7. Tighten the tailpiece screw to Adams Rite torque spec — overtightening strips the soft aluminum stile; undertightening causes the cylinder to back out.

FAQ

Can I replace an MS1890 with an MS1850 to upgrade security? Only if the jamb strike has enough depth to accept the hook geometry. Measure before ordering — a straight-bolt strike pocket is too shallow for the hook.

Which backset is most common on new doors? 1-1/8” is the current default on most Kawneer, YKK AP, and CRL-US Aluminum product lines. Confirm on the specific storefront system.

Are these locks fire-rated? Both are available in fire-rated variants (-F suffix) for use on labeled aluminum storefront doors. Standard (non-F) locks cannot be used on fire-rated openings.

Do I need a mortise cylinder or a rim cylinder? Mortise cylinder, standard 1-1/8” diameter, with an Adams Rite cam.

Can I use a high-security cylinder with the MS1850 or MS1890? Yes. Medeco, Mul-T-Lock, Abloy, and ASSA all offer mortise cylinders with Adams Rite cams. This is the most cost-effective security upgrade on a storefront opening.