Ted;
I have over the past years shot several guns using the "J Spring" forend fastener. Some were perhaps a few thousandths off face, none really excessively so. That still doesn't prevent me from seeing the concept is just the wrong way to go.
As I stated the only one I currently own with this fastener is the Baker. The bolting on this Black Beauty is essentially identical with the Nitro Special. A wedge shaped bolt extending from the top lever swings into the rib extension from the side. An excellent system for holding the barrels shut & the Wedge is self compensating for bolt wear. This system however does "Absolutely" Nothing to keep the barrels on face, that is strictly left to the hinge pin. It just doesn't seem a matter of good design to accentuate the friction on the hinge joint every time the gun is opened & shut.
I will not that I have two guns, both over 100 years old which use a Deely type fastener & do not have bolt wear compensation, the lever always stops at center. Both are tight & on face.
The reason levers go left on compensating bolting is from the rubbing (Friction) wear in opening & shutting them. Anything which reduces the friction I deem as a plus, while anything which increases it I see as a definite minus. Thus my dislike of pulling the barrel & hinge joint together under spring pressure.
As I recall W H Baker was the inventor & patentee of this design & he referred to it as his compensating forend. Only real problem is it was compensating in the wrong direction.
It did keep the barrels from feeling loose when the gun was open, Big Deal.
