Let us get technical then. My job entails handling best guns, ie Holland, Purdey and the like almost daily. Has been since 1985. I have taken apart every type of best gun and plenty of others too.
The Round Action has fewer parts, all supported by steel, not wood as in a sidelock. Mechanical engineering principles favor the decrease of parts for the same task. The geometry, the much touted 90 degree angle of sear to tumbler engagement is maintained in the Round Action as are intercepting safeties. Arguably the stock is also stronger by having more wood left in the jaws. Also there are few external pins, screws for the uninitiated. In non ejector Dickson there is only one visible screw on the action, the one retaining the trigger plate.
As for Darnes, Ideal and other continental European guns, the design might not suit some, the workmanship is flawless. And technically some continentals tackled and solved problems that the British will not face, like the rust trap between the ribs which the French solved with the abolition of the bottom rib (Darne) and the "I" section rib (Ideal). Caprinus of Sweden have solved several OU issues that still befuddle best makers and have reduced the overall height of the action to 56 millimeters, less than Boss and Woodward. But they are not British and that is an apparently unforgiveable act in gundom!
Purdey themselves promote their Perugini model as a best gun. Ask them. If you see the work done by PV you will know that what they do is in several areas over and above what any British firm does and they do it in certified and tested modern steel.
Perhaps a chat with some English barrel makers re the Darne and its barrel quality might also prove useful.
It is always useful to keep in mind that to date no English gun has been subjected to the endurance test of target shooting. Endurance is an undeniable test of mechanical quality.
Nothing cures best gunnitis than an estimate for repairs, both in total money and time for completion. Brister likened British prices to a court sentence, three years and ex thousand dollars. Contrast that with the four hours it takes Perazzi to build AND SHIP a stock to the client's measurement and this business takes on a whole different dimension.
Last edited by Shotgunlover; 06/06/15 05:30 AM.
