doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Self opener vs assisted self opener

I absolutely have no experience with these, but was curious as to what mechanisms define these two options and the differences that make them. Could an ejector system that assists in the opening be considered assisted opener or potentially self opening, or is it a mechanism that is part of the receiver and functions as part of the internal mechanism in the action?

Examples of a partial self opener or assisted opener are the ejector Model 21 and the Cogswell and Harrison Avant Tout.

Isn’t the difference that a true self opener will open if held horizontally and sideways, I.e. not using the weight of the barrels to fall open.

You can throw the H&H, Boss, and Smith (Churchill) systems into the assisted opener category as well. They aren’t “self opening” systems.

The Beesley action Purdey is a true self opener, it springs open whether fired or unfired. The H&H system opens crisply when unfired but if both barrels have been fired it needs a little help to get started and then accelerates. I have seen a Boss, where the ejectors push against the breech face, but didn't get a chance to use it. Likewise the wrist breaker boxlock.

The Beesley designed Lancaster “wrist breaker” in both sidelock and body action versions, most definitely falls into the self opener category.

The standard Boss is not a true self opener. However, Boss did make a (relatively few) self openers.

The Beesley (Purdey) type action has been used (in small numbers) by quite a few makers in the UK in addition to Purdey (who have made in excess of 15,000). These others include Henry Atkin (a few 100 "Spring Opener" model made), John Dickson, Churchill, P.V. Nelson, Peter Chapman, Watson Brothers, Charles Hellis, Hartmann and Weiss, Symes and Wright, Holloway and Naughton, Joseph Brazier and also possibly Charles Boswell, William Evans, Charles Rosson, Stephen Grant and Terry Smith.

Outside the UK, AyA (around 40 model Senior made), Ignacio Ugartechea (model 1040), Victor Sarasqueta, A Francotte, Brancaert (Belgium), Joseph Defourny (Belgium), Jules Thonon (Belgium), Tula (a gun presented by Nikita Kruschev to Harold MacMillan (?) was sold quite recently, Baikal and O Geyger (possibly made by Bernard Merkel’s workshops in Suhl as model X).

Note that I have only seen written details in many cases, though I have seen photographs of some. This list will be far from definitive as a number of makers have made only one or two examples. the Beesley action is reputed to be very difficult to 'get just right'.

There are a few WR drop lock assisted openers WR self opener.

Ken

Thanks guys, that clears things up a bit!

The Purdey just takes a little effort to close. The "Wristbreaker" gives the impression that you are breaking something inside the action.