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assisted opening:what are the various types if any?




BillC

I don't think there are any intentional "assisted" openers. Most of them are by products of the action's cocking mechanism or the ejector work.

A few guns that come to mind are most Boss side-by-sides and any gun made on Baker's lightweight actions (aka the 12/20 action). Lancaster, Churchill, and a few other English makers used this action on some of their guns.

Bosses open before they've been fired because the ejectors push against the action face. I think the Baker-actioned guns also open easily before they've been fired - again because of the ejectors.

True self openers include Purdeys, H&H with the self-opening mechanism, a handful of Bosses made from about 1932-38, and, I think, Dicksons.

Some Euro makers also made true self openers on their own designs. I own a Defourny that opens/closes like a Purdey, but uses a different system to do it. I've also seen self-opening Francotte boxlocks.

OWD

How is it mechanically accomplished in guns that charge extra for having it?



TIA


BC

"I don't think there are any intentional "assisted" openers. Most of them are by products of the action's cocking mechanism or the ejector work."

I disagree. My CSMC RBL has a seperate mechanisim for assisted opening. It is a plunger-type compression spring devise that is mounted on the underside of the barrels and covered by the fore arm. When the opening lever is operated the assisted opener spring "Pushes" the action open while cocking the hammers. The action is a little harder to close.

The CSMC RBL assisted opener can be removed from the gun.

Traditionally, I think the system CSMC uses is called a self opener.

It helps the gun open whether it has been fired or not - right? This is just like the H&H system it's based on

"Assisted" openers do not do this.

Most systems use the H&H plunger system, especially when it's an option.


OWD

So does my Cogswell & Harrison

Skip

There are no self opening guns, what a disaster that would be. People may call them self opening. Some people may even call a gun "old betsy". Whatever. There are various assisted opening guns, some more assisted that others. Some can be easily modified to be less or more assisted, like the Smith action used a lot on Rosson or Churchill guns. The down side is of course harder closing but with a little practice it becomes hardly noticeable and if you have your man close it for you there's no problem at all.

I talked with H&H this year ad they refer to their system as assisted not self opening. If both barrels are fired it provides a little bit of assistance, but nothing like a Purdey. Dickson's are similar to Boss's they get a push from the ejectors, but only if NOT fired.

Interesting.

On Purdey's website, they call their SxSs self openers:
http://purdey.com/guns/side-by-side/


H&H says the same about their Royal SxSs:

http://www.hollandandholland.com/gunrooms/london/bespoke_weapons/the_royal_side_by_side_shotgun/


In Purdey catalog they also refer to their Beesely action as an "easy opener."


OWD

This topic comes up every so often. The definition is open to interpretation. If a person thinks of the physics involved, I guess the true self opener would have to overcome the weight of the barrel assm, or the action assm. It would need to provide the force necessary to move one assm away from the other, right up until gravity took over. An assisted open would be one where the mechanism provided something less than 100% of the necessary force. I suppose "open" is the minimum point at which a cartridge could be removed, or inserted. Less than a full, end of travel, opening. Certainly separate from cocking.
Ruger RL's are a kind of assisted opener, as the last bit of ejector tension is provided on closing. When the top lever is moved, the gun will spring open a little.
In an earlier discussion of this topic, I think 8 bore said to lay a shotgun on it's side, and move the top lever. If it opens it is assisted.
There is no free lunch, at least until someone harnesses recoil to load the springs for assisted opening.