[Hammer1]

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Among African dangerous game rifle shooters and among collectors of such guns...

Sidelock double guns are highly considered compared to the boxlock design.

Lots of campfire and written arguments comparing the two with many favoring the sidelock.

The African dangerous game rifles do put out a lot more recoil than trap guns, but the pressure levels are really not that much different than shotgun pressure levels.


Among upland bird shooters there is a constant argument between the two action designs with many arguments for the sidelock.



But it seems like all trap guns are boxlock, even in guns where money is no object.

And these boxlocks seem to last in the hundreds of thousands of rounds in trap competition where a failure would matter.



Any thoughts on why sidelocks have not been more popular in the trap game ?

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[Tron]

Sidelocks are stock cracking machines.

 

[dickgtax]

Sidelocks are like Patek Philippe watches. More intricate and expensive than
they need to be to tell time or in this case to shoot trap. Boxlocks are
a simpler and sturdier action. That doesn't mean I don't drool over a Beretta S0-9 or a Fabbri.

 

[semperfi909]

New design Fabbris are like a MT6 w/ sideplates for access. All the trigger stuff is on the action.

Sidelocks may have some advantage in some situation but I don't know what that would be. What is interesting is how well they perform for the anachronism that they are. But, get serious people, this is the 21st Century not the 19th. There are better ways and we already have them.

I think SO4's are lovely guns but resisting buying one is not a problem. But that may just be me.

YMMV

Charlie

 

[Gapper]

Dangerous game guns were built as sidelocks with two triggers - two different and separate fire control mechanisms on one rifle. This was a built-in "fail safe" for hunting critters that can eat or stomp the hunter.

Most of the trap guns built today are not boxlocks but are trigger plate (blitz) actions, having advantages over other designs.

After a while, people gravitate toward simplicity and reliability, though a quality back-action sidelock sure is nice. GAP

 

[Voolfie]

The standard talking point about sidelocks is that they have a faster locktime, that is the firing pin hits the primer sooner with a sidelock than with a boxlock or droplock. Now, exactly how much that benefits you is unclear to me. However, they are very pretty guns and they can be very reliable (e.g. Beretta SO-5) if well maintained.

J.F. Wolfington

 

[Border Bandit]

If my information is correct you'll be seeing one from Connecuticut Shotgun Mfg (Tony Galazan) based upon their wonderful A-10 American. It's a true sidelock with removable side plates and single trigger. The platform accomodates unsingle and O/U barrel sets. I hope they bring it out in a trap model and already have a clays configuration.

Best...mike

 

[smsnyder]

Bandit, Looks like side plates to me. No use but to look different.

 

[Ahab]

But ... He has the obligatory feet in the last picture!

 

[Border Bandit]

Ok, Ok, here's one showing it to be a true side lock gun, and no feet(s). God, you're a picky bunch.