doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Box lock intercepting sears

I had my Horton out of the vault today and got to wondering about this. My gun has the sears and springs in place. Have any of you purchased a gun fitted with intercepting sears that 1 or both were not present and did it bother you? How did you handle it with the seller? I do not know too many sellers that take their guns apart to inspect for internal wear or missing parts. Opinions vary as to the necessity of intercepting sears in A&D designed guns. Like suspenders in addition to a belt, but in some other box lock designs they may be a functioning part of the design. Just thinking about this.

Yes. Very high grade Ford BLE with intercepting sears, when dissembled was found to not have one installed. Made no difference in the trigger pulls etc. Have had conversations with an English gunmaker, he�s seen them where the interceptors were never installed, like the actions pulled from bench stock to build a gun were intercepting sear actions, but the build requirements didn�t warrant their actual installation.

Interesting comment from the gunmaker. Left out on purpose for a lesser quality gun. Would you have the missing intercepting sear and spring duplicated for a high grade box lock?

A few of the English gunmakers have posted over the years that they have pulled them from some guns in for service, because of reliability issues. The A&D boxlock typically has a different angle on the bent that makes intercepting sears less necessary than on a sidelock gun.
Best work boxlocks are special guns indeed.

Best,
Ted

If you have been close by when a box lock without interceptors goes off accidentaly you wouldn't think they are unnecessary

I think safe gun handling is more important than intercepting sears. I've owned exactly one gun with intercepting sears, a pre Royal Holland, that I couldn't get to go off a great deal of the time due to the Holland patent single trigger that was installed.
In fifty years of shooting sports, I've never witnessed what you just described.


Best,
Ted

Never have. And if by accidentally you mean the trigger was pulled inadvertently, intercepting sears wouldn�t have made much difference anyway. FWIW.. they�re unnecessary, thousands upon thousands of BL shotguns & rifles built with out them testify to that. Here�s another interesting fact...a good many SLE guns have intercepting sears that don�t work properly (aren�t timed correctly, or just fitted up badly). The owners rarely if ever notice that they have faulty interceptors. Not naming any specific makers, seen bad examples from various makers, countries.

I agree, except with 58 years in my case.

If the gun went off without the trigger being pulled, such as when it was closed, there was a problem other than the gun not having intercepting sears. I have witnessed people accidentally firing a shotgun when they closed it more than once. They would look embarrassed and blame it on the gun, but it was poor gun handling nearly every time.

Finger outside the triggerguard until ready to shoot, is my mantra.

SRH

Also, safety on until the bird is in the air.
Karl

That policy doesn�t work so well if you shoot hammer guns, MF Ideals, most pigeon guns, etc. Never rely on a mechanical safety. Pointing the gun in a safe direction, keeping your finger off the trigger until it needs to be pulled, unloading or breaking it open before crossing obstacles, etc.
Safe gun handling trumps mechanical safeties all day long.