doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Book Review:"The British Boxlock, Gun & Rifle."

It took me months to bring myself to my desk and write about Diggory Hadoke's latest work. To my benefit, I must confess that after reading it the first time I allowed a few weeks to ponder my conclusions. Then I decided to read it for a second time, with similar results. Finally I went for a third reading. It was a rewarding experience, each additional reading revealed new angles, nuances and more interrelated information.

"The British Boxlock" is a quantum improvement on Hadoke's previous book, either if we consider style, organisation, argument and historical research. IMO this book will stand for a very long time as the main and definitive reference on this subject.

Quite opposite from the sidelock, the boxlock came as a revolution in the British sporting arms industry. After the Anson & Deely patent nothing remained the same in this trade. It solved many practical problems: it made plausible the hammerless concept, it offered a stronger mechanism and lower maintenance, was easier to manufacture and allowed for greater profit margin to their manufacturers. Several competitors appeared before and after the A & D design (1875), as are well described and commented by D. Hadoke. The fact is that after the A & D patent expiration almost all of the British and continental gun makers adopted this design.

One outcome of the widespread adoption of the A&D boxlock was a reduction in gun prices during the early twentieth century and a wider access to sporting guns amongst the middle classes. The boxlock's simplicity and safety meant that it fell victim of its own success in the long term, the sidelock remained the high end sporting gun. Aside from Westley Richards, where the A&D boxlock was born, no traditional quality arms producer offers the boxlock as its top notch product. It is on this aspect that D. Hadoke makes one of his best contributions in this book: because of its lasting reliabilty and the high finish of many of them, is that the British (and continental) A&D boxlock is one of the best bargains in the second hand market today. He provides us with ample evidence on that.

Diggory's findings and analysis makes us travel through numerous examples of the high variety of types and sub-types of boxlocks that were offered in the British market (not to mention those that were immitated and further developed elsewhere, a subject for another book). Its chapters on "Quality Variations" and "Famous Firms" are excellent. There is also a section for those that may like to join the boxlock club, the "Boxlock Owner's Guide, it is a very good set of tips and procedures for the prospective buyer. A technical analysis of the boxlock's handling qualities is very useful in this regard too, though I could not find Table 1 mentioned in page 163.

In summary, I cannot be more in accord with Vic Venters dictum: "This is one of the three most important texts on British guns in the last decade". Congrats Diggory.

EJSXS

Precisely.

Dig has written a great book. He deserves the praise.

BB, (John): actually Nigel Brown was at my book signing at Purdey's. How about you?

Hi, I have Dig's book and found it to be an excellent study on the subject. I also have all of Brown's books as well as Bakers and others.

I think Dig's book is excellent in that it's a hands on book as opposed to a historical/technical study as the other authors.

It gives good common sense and practical info in a very understandable manner.

I think Dig did a wonderful job and my hats off to him.

BB, I think you should look at Dig's book, you'll be surprised at what you'll find in it.

Thanks Dig for a great book!

Best!

Greg

I've read Small Bore's book as well and found it to be excellent. I was a little disappointed there was no index, however. That makes it a bit harder to find specifics, but I'm glad I bought the book.

Guess I have to have it.

Why would a person spend a thousand (plus) dollars on a gun and not buy this book? Well worth the investment.

Hey Buzz, think your getting Dig's Books mixed up, his BL book has an index, his first (Vintage Guns) didn't. Either way, it's a damn fine book!

Best!

Greg

Yes, you are right Greg. 'The British Boxlock' has an index and 'Vintage Guns' does not. My bad. Either way, I think Small Bore should put an index In his future books. I think his books are very well written and informative. His description of British Proof is outstanding and I refer to that frequently. I'm looking forward to another excellent book from Diggory Hadoke!

Diggory has produced an excellent book you have to recognise the time and effort he has put into it, people will be reading this many years from now, I look forward to the next one.