doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com What Goes On Internally With Top Lever Drift Left?

I understand that one should generally close the action of a boxlock/sidelock as easy as reasonable to reduce wear and tear which would eventually lead to the top lever drifting to left of center when action is locked. My question is...what's going on inside the action that permits the top lever to drift so? What components are being effected to cause this and how?

I would say that the locking bolt and its receptacle take the most abuse and eventually wear. Unless I am loading live ammunition, or evaluating a gun for subsequent purchase, I ease the toplever closed. Cheers!

Depends on the action the gun is built on, but easing them closed may be part of the problem.

You may not be letting the locking parts set all the way. When you fire the gun, this could lead to extra stress/wear on the parts, and a gradual creeping of the toplever.

You should close a SxS or an O/U firmly - not with a flick or a snap, but in one smooth movement. Keep you hand off the toplever. Let the springs and the fitting to its work.

OWD

I agree with OWD on this. A lever that drifts left normally means the bolt has a taper & as the locking surface of either the bolt or the lug's bite bite wear, the bolt enters deeper so the lever goes left. I have three guns in my cabinet on which the lever always stops at center. One an early Lefever has a bolt adjuster which is not connected to the top lever.
On the other two there is no bolt wear compensation built in at all. The bolting surfaces are simply parallel. Yet both of these guns though over 100 years old & shoe use, but not abuse, bolt up tightly. If you close the gun fully & firmly, but not so hard that the barrel tends to bounce, the bolt simply snaps home with virtually no contact to the lug's bite, thus no wear. "IF" on the other hand you close the barrels very gently & ease the bolt home it rubs all the way to its seat, thus creating friction which promotes wear.
Pure Mechanics.

I think some of the greatest wear on the bolt occurs on opening when it is natural to let the weight of the barrels press on the bolt as it is withdrawn. I often forget and find myself actually pressing down on the barrels as I turn the lever. That's when I can feel and sometimes hear the surfaces dragging--and wearing. I don't worry about it when hunting but other times try to remember to hold the barrels tight to the action until the bolt is clear and then let the barrels drop. Seems to me this simple act would virtually eliminate bolt wear.

Whilst I can see the reasoning behind this, if it was a significant issue, then self opening guns would wear much more quickly. I don't believe this to be the case.
Having a little smear of grease on the sliding parts should minimise any wear.

I agree with UK John here. Out of respect for another man's gun, if I am allowed to inspect it (prior to a possible sale) I always easy it shut- But my own double guns ( L.C. Smith and Parker)which are lightly lubricated with Rem Gun Oil (aerosol) when closed them loaded in the field, they I close them without easing the lever into battery- I often shoot with a friend who has one of a matched pair of 12 bore Woodward guns- beautiful indeed, and he closes the Woodward firmly- it was built in 1908, and re-barreled in 1924- And, as the late Captain Paul A. Curtis showed in his book (1934) Guns and Gunning- always close your gun with the barrels pointed downward toward the ground- Whilst? British version of the card game Contract Bridge perhaps? How rather quaint!!!

Joe-

I think you're on to something, especially with guns like Foxes, LC Smiths and Greeners.

I've been told that a lot of wear occurs when a gun is open, especially when people carry an opened gun.

That's why you shouldn't walk around with your gun open, barrels in your hand, and the action balanced on your shoulder.

If you do walk around with it open, try to minimize the movement between the bbls & action. Don't let things bounce around.

Even better, close the gun, put it in a slip case, and carry it around that way.

OWD

Foxy, it ain't about quaint mate.
Ever had a bloke slam a loaded double shut with the muzzles pointed right at your guts, from a few feet away?
Just sayin...cheers
Franc

Absolutely true! If you're going to actually fire the gun then it should be closed as stated above. If merely inspecting/cleaning/admiring, then it's OK to ease the toplever.

The real trick is to try to convince a Smith collector of this.