"I have had my droplock since 1983. I am still trying to figure the engineering sense of a solid cross pin and how it sits unsupported by any action metal at the front. The unsupported cross pin is found on cheapo folding guns that we gun snobs deride.
Accesibility can be achieved by unscrewing a stock bolt, as per Perazzi MX12 and 20, with no need for detachability. Something impossible in a traditional gun, due to grip screws, another one of those quaint traditional tortures that command a premium "
I would certainly prefer a removable hinge pin but in reality I don't feel it is a big deal. According to Vic Venters in an article on Westley Richards, the size of slot required for the detachable locks prevent the use of a removable hinge pin. If the solid hinge pin has been serious a weak point in the WR detachable boxlock design I would have thought it would have shown up by now given the length of time the WR design has been in service. As for the accessability to the internals provided by the throughbolt design. It's kind of an inelegant way to provide accessability to the internals & doesn't work well with a long tang trigger guard. It does make for a strong attachment of stock to action & works OK for heavy target style guns but I've never seen a SxS or a O&U hunting type gun using a throughbolt attachment of the stock that wasn't unnecessarily thick & clumsy through the wrist (Browning Superposed might be one possible exception but is not in my mind ideal).
Worth the premium depends on how much value you put on all the nice little details. I've handled a couple of the A&S Famars hand detachable boxlocks (Called Tribute I think) & to me they fall quite a bit short of most WR hand detachable boxlock guns & epecially the latest WR efforts. Kind of like the difference between a Nissan 370Z & Porsche Carrera S. Both are nice, one is nicer but it costs more money. Just depends on how much nice it takes to make you happy & how much you are willing to spend.
