My question is in relation to the assembly of the actions on break open shotguns. IMO the older elegant looking ones are assembled with screws and locking screws with all the slots running in one direction. These to me seem to be needing a skilled craftsman to set them properly. This as compared to the ones that look like they are assembled by machine with pressed in pins. Is anyone else of this or another opinion, or is there an advantage of one over the other, besides cost.
Double Barreled Shotgun assembly
- Thread starter sashi
- Start date
Esthetics yes, but demanded and expected by those who pay the big bucks to get what they percieve as the best. To have all those screws aligned the same required each individual screw to be hand fitted with heads that were proud ( protruded above the action surface) then marked and removed, dressed down to be flush with the action which removes the temporary slot, a new properly aligned slot cut, polished, engraved and coloured. For each screw. Ask your gunsmith what he would charge (if he would attempt it at all) to do this for the 6-8 screws on a fine gun. It might cost more than the value of the complete gun you are using.
Years ago I picked up an interesting H Pieper sidelock with gorgeous, perfect Damascus barrels for next to nothing. It languishes in my safe because among other issues (horrible re-stock) every screw on the gun has been severely buggered. And as Ashcroft rightly points out, the cost of fixing them or replacing them (including the engraving, proper timing etc) is prohibitively expensive. On the order of $100 and more per screw. One day, when every other possible repair/restoration has been accomplished on ALL my other guns, I may turn my attentions to that Pieper. But I'm not holding my breath.
The screws on a British-made gun are timed for a very good reason; so that you will notice immediately if one has come loose.
