There are a number of side bys ides with round underbolts instead of the usual Purdey underbolt. From my research the round bolted SXS include Winchester Mod 21, Horsley, Ithaca Flues and a few others.
Are there any others?
Those of you who have round bolted SXS's- how have they held up? Have you had any problsme with the barrels coming off face or the gun shooting prematurelly or repeatedly loose?
Baker front trigger break, ca. 1875.
Hmmm.....I have two fluesies; a 12 and a 16. The bolt is round but the engagement surface is flat. One gun is well worn and slightly loose but I believe the culprit is the hook/pin rather than the bolt. Since the round bolt has more surface area where it interfaces with the receiver I would think that it would be more robust than a typical flat bolt. It would be interesting to know Emil Flues' thinking...
Like Philbert I have a Flues that is loose. The lever is to the right so I surmise the problem also lies with the hook/pin.
Best,
Mike
Easier to make a round hole than a rectangular one.
On the Flusies which I have owned the bolt is adjustable. The round bolt passes through a square carrier with a set screw which can be loosened, the bolt slid forward for deeper engagement. The bolting surface itself is cut on a taper. The hinge is not adjustable on them & using this to bring the lever back to center does nothing at all except relocate the lever (unless of course the bolt was so worn the lever had reached its limit of travel). "IF" you in fact had bearing on the rib bolt moving the lever to the right will lose this bearing.
Arguments can be, & have, been made for the superiorty of both styles of bolts.
Some Crescent doubles had round bolts, at least a hammer double bearing the trade name of American Gun Co of mine has a round underbolt.
My favorite Double, the Lefever, has no underbolt at all.
On the Flusies which I have owned the bolt is adjustable. The round bolt passes through a square carrier with a set screw which can be loosened, the bolt slid forward for deeper engagement.
Thanks Miller, that is valuable information.
Best,
Mike
Hello all,
Just noticed i mispelled the title of the thread! Apologies.
Thank you to all who have posted here with very useful info.
Add two more SXS's with round bolts that I remembered, one is a Belgian Darry with a round bolt measuring 8mm in diameter, fitting in a round recess under the barrels. The other is a Daw circa 1855 (?) with a round bolt which seemed to be around 7 mm in diameter. Both were tight actioned.
From my moderate metalworking experience it would seem that drilling/reaming a round hole is easier than broaching a square recess. I do not know what spark erosion machining has done for this, but even with that technology available the round hole seems easier and perhaps cheaper to make.
Seen a few "cheap" continental made guns with round bolt holes , Some were then broached out to take a conventional bolt . Also seen one or two early guns with single bites that were round . Sorry can not racall makes. Racall? damm spoll chicker.