Lloyd, I’ll challenge you a bit on the Jones underlever. A Jones can be cycled almost as fast as with a top lever. I’d say at most the Jones takes about one second longer, maybe less all else being equal. Remember, when you close a Jones the lever automatically cams to within an inch or so of the triggerguard. To finish closing my hand never leaves the stock wrist but I just reach with my index finger and quickly pull it over the triggerguard. Remarkably fast once you get used to it. And a Jones underlever, non ejector is about as bullet proof as any gun ever made. And I’ll choose the wedge forend fastener any day over the Anson or Deeley fasteners. Totally dependable. And as my old gunsmith David Yale once told me, “I’ve never seen a Jones off face.” Oh, the pin and hook can wear but the camming down of the Jones makes the action rock solid.
A well kept secret is a fine gun with a Jones action that is also non rebounding is often half the price of the more “modern” guns. There are very few non rebounders remaining. When Stanton invented the rebounder most earlier gun’s locks were sent back to the maker and converted to the new fangled rebounder. That was a major overhaul requiring a new tumbler and a totally new mainspring along with a tiny bit of new inletting.
You do understand I’m not prejudiced about the Jones, don’t you? LOL!
