doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Do sideclips really work ?

I'm having a hard time visualizing how the sideclips we see on heavy proofed guns actually work. Do they really work in terms of the physics??

No..... but they will add a nice slice to your hands if handled incorrectly.

No is the answer. When I was about twelve years old, a friend of my Dad's sent me a nice Francotte Grade 14 with side clips that was laterally loose on the hinge when closed and the side clips did absolutely nothing to keep it tight.

Their manufacture is brutal, they are hammer formed via "ears" extending from the action body sides.

They make rebarreling a pain.

They do not reinforce the action to barrel joint.

What happens when a double is fired is more involved than what is usuallly portrayed by the authorities. But that is another story. The nett result is that sideclips do not contribute to the lockup.

They do add to the aesthetics of the gun for some of us though and to that, serve a purpose.

RCC, you're right about the aesthetics. I love to look at them. I have a wonderful little 30" Sauer with clips, lots of color, tight as a tick, horn trigger guard, great pigeon chokes, and I still can't sell it for $900. So much for side clips increasing the value of a gun.

I ordered an Arrieta 801 N with side clips in the late 1980's.

With the gun closed you could see daylight between the sideclips & matching cut in the bbls (think large dead cat) & I could see no evidence that the sideclips came to bear when the gun was fired either. In this case the maker obviously thought sideclips were totally cosmetic.

In a gun with the lumps properly fitted to the action it's difficult to see how sideclips would improve on lateral support but they don't hurt anything & look traditional on a heavy proof gun.

I disagree that side clip are merely aesthetic and add nothing to the strength of the action.

I agree they do look good, but I also like actions without them and only have one gun with them.

I do agree that they add technical difficulty to rebarrelling.

I find they are more common on German Guns and while I do believe that German guns often seem over strengthened I have some faith that when the Germans do something technical it tends to be correct, though maybe overkill. My experience with German engineering (cars, guns, optics, etc.) is that it is more often than not, correct.

While they are redundant to other locking points and may not be truly necessary I believe they do add something to the strength of an action.

They are like third bites and cross bolts , if fitted properly they do have some effect but in most older guns with wear they do not work . A number of Spanish guns I have come across seem to have them for "effect" only

I have a pair of double rifles in .375 and .500. I wanted sideclips as I love the look. The chaps at the gunmakers told me that strength wise they are unecessary and they cost me a lot per gun but I do love them ! best