doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Easy Openers vs. Self Openers

I am curious as the difference between easy openers and self openers. I once owned what I think was considered an "easy opener", a Spanish Arrizabalaga. It was really nice. It had a hydraulic device in the forend as I recall. Now I am the proud owner of a back action sidelock Cuckie Lancaster. It's pretty tough to close but opens very easily. I'm not sure at the end of the day either option is really that big of a deal. It's sort of like, "pay be now or pay me later."

All I know is that H&H say their self-opening guns will open even if held upside down. On others which might be described as easy opening guns, some of which seem to just have weaker mechanisms of the same make as H&H, the gun will only "ease" open with assistance.

Try this if you get your hands on one of the Spanish guns: A. close and move the toplever to the right while holding the gun upright. B. Same as A but after firing. Some of these only pop open if not fired. I don't know why.

Hallowellco.com defines "self-opening" as you have described. There is a picture of the H&H device which is also the one copied on many Spanish guns.

The terms 'easy opening', 'assisted opening' and 'self opening' are used without having specific meaning.

They all relate to actions in which the barrels are pushed off the action upon operation of the top lever (or whatever lever is used).

The original 'self-opener' was the Purdey in 1880, designed by Beesley. this has a strong self-opening feature powered by both mainsprings.

The 1922 Holland & Holland patent has coil springs in a tube under the forend to assist the opening of the gun.

The Lancaster self-opener as a sidelock and a boxlock are variations on the Beesley patent.

Each and every one of the assisted and self-opening mechanisms vary and some are stronger and more reliable than others. Weigh up each one on its merits and see if the operation suits you.

Hi Gil,
Already lots of good responses above. I'd add that Jack O'Connor was being shown a "self opener", in a fine London gunshop. When Jack asked the obvious question anyone smarter than a spent primer would come up with, "doesn't that make the gun harder to close"? The clerk responded,very "Britishly"(nose in the air): but Mr. O'Connor, our clients do not close their own guns.
I've never even fondled one, let alone owned one, but don't they also cock on closing, adding to the work required to overcome the self-opening system's power?
Seems even more of an "unnecessary solution to a non-existent problem" than the damnable automatic safety.

Gil, ye olde Wristbreaker of a Lancaster I take it?

I have an easy opener built on the Edwin V Smith action. In addition to the cocking levers exerting an opening force, if the gun hasn't been fired, there are two extra V springs above the cocking levers that provide an opening force all the time. So, when the gun has been fired, opened and empties ejected, closing means compressing the main springs, ejector springs and the forementioned V springs. That may seem like a lot of effort but in fact is easily done with a quick motion. Nevertheless I removed the little V springs from mine, it still opens easy from the force of the cocking levers alone if it hasn't been fired and when it has been fired it still opens easy since it cocks on closing. All the easy openers that I've handled were not as tight on the face as I like. I think that the guys who set them up leave them on the loose side to facilitate opening. The last thing a wealthy client wants is for his H&H Royal, or whatever, to not fall open when he pushes the lever. God forbid.
nial

This is how I've had it explained to me:

Self openers open on their own before and after the gun has been fired - self-opening Hollands, Purdeys on the Beesley-patent, & Atkin Spring Openers fall into this category.

Easy openers are assisted in opening only before, or after, they've been fired, not both before and after. Even then, they usually will not open on their own. Most Boss sidelocks with Robertson ejectors are like this, and I think Lancaster 12/20s and Churchill's built on the Baker patent are too (before). I think the wristbreakers are only assisted after firing (BTW: I think this may be another of Beesley's patents).

Boss did make true self openers from about 1932 - 1938. They're pretty rare. Most of the time, Bosses described as easy openers or self openers are just regular Boss sidelocks equipped with Robertson-patent ejectorwork. I don't know if Boss ever described these guns as easy or self openers.

OWD