Best boxlocks?

[Tim Kelly]

I've always had a bit of a thing for nice boxlocks. I prefer them to sidelocks visually very often. I've always admired the Dickson round action aesthetically (I know it's not a boxlock!) but the ultimate has to be the Westley Richards drop lock. http://www.westleyrichards.com/new-guns/shot-guns/droplock Pure beauty.

 

My ideal boxlock would have the decorative shape to the rear of the action, a rounded action and definitely not have the flat area of wood behind the action, usually with a teardrop at the point. The AYA no4 best boxlock could be a nice gun if it weren't for the flats behind the action http://www.positiveshooting.com/AYA20BoreReviewMain.html The AYA no 4 round action though is a thing of beauty, though I've only ever seen one on an American gun dealer's page. http://www.mwreynolds.com/HTML/AYAno4roundPage.html

 

Anyone know of any other boxlocks that are particularly beautiful, especially given my preferences?

[Shropshire_Lad]

High, I saw a pair made by Tony http://www.trwhiteguns.co.uk/a few years ago, stunning ! In our guns, third row down in the middle ;-)

 

atvb Paul.

[Tim Kelly]

Perfect. What a pretty gun. Thanks for that I'd never heard of them.

[welshwarrior]

Tony's stuff is very good worth a visit if you want a gun made by a British gun maker father and son team.

[CharlesP]

Completely agree with you about boxlocks. I think it was Gough Thomas who maintained that if boxlocks had been invented first nobody would have bothered with sidelocks.

 

With you all the way on Scottish round action guns - for the absolute best look on Holt's auction site catalogue archives, search for MacNaughton round action "bar-in-wood" guns. Actually if you're planning to visit Holt's site, then grab a coffee and do it when you have an hour to spare; tearing yourself away can be difficult.

 

Have you read Diggory Hadoke's books? His British Boxlocks is a lovely work, thoroughly enjoyable and very informative. He shares your enthusiasm, and reading his book (and its companion "Vintage guns for the modern shot" is a great read, too. He may change your mind about flats on the wood just aft of the action - there are illkustrations of guns with your favoured "fancy back" together with the flat you describe, but chequered in a pleasing manner he calls "Church Windows".

 

My own personal favourite is a maker I rather fell for in 1971 when working in an Arms & Armour Auction House. In the rack was a crisp and beautifully stocked Harkom boxlock, I didn't have pockets deep enough, but I've never forgotten it. Fabulous carved fences reminiscent of a hammer gun. It fit me like a glove and had all its original finish. I was so besotted that I still look around for one.

 

My long term companion is an 1892 Greener Facile Princeps. Damascus barrels, non-ejector, I've had some truly wonderful days with this one.

[Tim Kelly]

I'll try to find a copy of that book, thanks. Don't think he'll change my mind on the flats though, just ugly however you carve them! The Germans are very keen on the carving there, but it still looks ugly to me compared to the lovely smooth round svelte appearance of my favorites.

[wymberley]

Don't think he'll change my mind on the flats though, just ugly however you carve them!

Something like this, perhaps:

 

[CharlesP]

I was thinking the O`p may be referring to the habit of leaving a flattened section of the stock, maybe to imitate the shape of a sidelock.

[wymberley]

I was thinking the O`p may be referring to the habit of leaving a flattened section of the stock, maybe to imitate the shape of a sidelock.

Re-read the OP and you could well be right.

[Salop Matt]

Beautiful guns, would love to be in a position to have a day shooting one let alone the money to buy one !

 

ATB

 

Matt

[ditchman]

Nowhere as pretty as the other AYA...this is my bogstandard No4...just had the internals polished....it gets wet and muddy...good value for money (secondhand)

[Tim Kelly]

Something like this, perhaps:

 

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Which model is that? Looks like a no4 delux, but without the teardrop flats behind the action. Very nice.

[Salop Matt]

If I were to ever win the lottery I would go local and buy from Bloxhall & Edmiston who are just 15 mile away.

4 guns would be ordered - 12g O&U MC & 12g SxS MC

- 20g O&U MC & 20g SxS MC

Their guns are beutiful and again to have to the oppertunity to shoot a day or even just a single drive with one of there guns would be an experience to treasure for life !

 

ATB

 

Matt

[mudpatten]

Although it hardly qualifies as a Best boxlock I was very pleased recently to have been given a Webley and Scott 700 blej with 25" barrel and Churchill rib.

 

As far as I can tell from the serial number it was made in 1976, which would fit in with what I know about it.It appears to be almost unused and has 100% of it`s original finish without even a finger mark on it.

 

It`s interesting to compare it`s handling with my AYA Yeoman. Notwithstanding it`s different weight the Webley feels almost perfect in it`s weight distribution.

 

A tad too short in the stock for me I`m about to have it lengthend to fit and am very much looking forward to helping it catch up on the almost forty years of shooting that it has missed out on.

[wymberley]

Which model is that? Looks like a no4 delux, but without the teardrop flats behind the action. Very nice.

It's a '25' from 1964. I got lucky. When the RFD showed it to me it was a right mess but there was something about it. The action was as tight as the day it was made; the bores were pristine but the barrels needed re-bluing and if you look carefully you'll see the only fault which are some very small 'dints' in the chamber area which I suspect was caused by the previous owner using a cartridge belt; there wasn't even a scratch on the wood which wasn't too surprising as it appeared that said owner had applied some shellac with a 6" paste brush. So, off to UK Gun Repairs who blued the barrels, cleaned the muck of the wood, re-cut the checkering and applied an oil finish and Bob's your uncle - as good as new.

 

Hopefully, this will give you an idea:

[Tim Kelly]

Do you think it had the flats behind the action originally? It almost looks like there's a shadow in the woodwork in about the right place for them. It's a very pretty gun.

Edited September 2, 2015 by Tim Kelly

[matone]

Panels and points is the correct nomenclature for `flats` !

 

The early XXV above would not have had panels and points,lovely piece too.

Edited September 2, 2015 by matone

[wymberley]

Do you think it had the flats behind the action originally? It almost looks like there's a shadow in the woodwork in about the right place for them. It's a very pretty gun.

See what you mean from the photo', but no. If you look, the dark grain at the bottom flows through the checkering to the stock 'face' and the other side is similar.

 

Panels and points is the correct nomenclature for `flats` !

 

The early XXV above would not have had panels and points,lovely piece too.

Thanks for the info'. Could you kindly amplify the "panels and points"? Also, above I called the side of the stock the "face" for the want of a better word. Is there also a correct term for that? Many thanks.

 

PS: It just occurred to me - are the 'tear drops' the 'points'?

[Tim Kelly]

Panels and points, there you go! Words that should be removed from a Stocker's vocabulary and repertoire. Lol