doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Side Lever guns in action

Pulled my old W Richards out & tried it in an over the shoulder position for carry. didn't go anywhere just held it so that it was at a comfortable balance point.
Stan is 1001% correct, no way the lever is going to Jab my neck.

Gun would lay on shoulder in the chamber area & lever is behind the action body, well ahead of my neck with that carry. Scratch that one as a disadvantage. I don't carry that way anyhow. As Stan said after the hunt with an empty gun would be fine, but not while walking in possibly rough terrain with a loaded gun.

Of course as I have already stated I have never actually hunted with a side lever gun, but I certainly would not turn down a nice gun on that account. The side lever may or may not be better than a top lever, but is certainly no disadvantage if on the left side for one loading their own gun. I simply cannot speak for someone using a Loader as I haven't worn that T-Shirt.

I would like to add that in now way am I "dissing" my friend Joe, who is the O.P. on this thread. Joe is a straight shooter, in more ways than one, and when he posts something it is worth listening to. I just meant that for me, the way I shoulder carry, a left side lever would not be prone to neck discomfort.

SRH

+1

Larry probably didn't see this because he was at the Mosque saying his morning prayers.

+1 Joe is one of the very best people I've had the pleasure of knowing. And, boy, can he shoot!

DDA

To Joe�s original point about carrying a side lever on the the right shoulder, I believe he was referring to carrying the gun open over the the right shoulder with barrels forward as we often carry guns on a sporting clays course. The side lever is then on your shoulder side and away from your neck.

As to which side the side lever is most comfortable to use for a right handed shooter, I think the answer is somewhat counter-intuitive. The right side works most comfortably because the right handed shooter can hold gun with one hand under the action body and rotate his hand laterally as he opens the gun with one motion ( supinating the wrist). This leaves the left hand free to load the shells. Easier than opening a top lever with one hand!

If the lever were on the left, you would have to bring your hand over the gun and not be able to support the action from beneath, a less secure grip.

I say this as a regular shooter of a Grant side lever pigeon hammer gun and an Alfred Lancaster side lever Anson Deeley BLNE side lever...both on the right. They are truly effortless to open and hold with one hand!

I have also served as a loader for Joe in Charlotte with his beautiful pair of Boswells at a number of flurry shoots and find loading a pair of side levers much easier than loading a pair of top levers.

Dr. P

A further clarification of my statement above: all four of the side lever guns above (the Grant, the A. Lancaster and the pair of Boswells) have relatively svelte round English straight grips. The shooter or loader�s right hand rotates under those round grips behind the trigger guard as he backhands the side lever with his thumb. This keeps the weight of the gun firmly in your hand.

I owned and hunted a 1905 vintage Stephen Grant with nitro proofed Damascus barrels. That is one I should have kept! I always wondered why the side lever did not become the norm VS the top lever. It is so much more intuitive to use and does away with some parts like the Scott spindle. Personally, I think it is a simpler and therefore stronger in some respects to the top lever. To my eyes it is also more aesthetically pleasing than any top lever and the best examples are those made by Stephen Grant. Best guns in every sense of the word.