It's tough to say. I've seen some very nice English boxlocks. Greener made some beautiful ones, as did Westley Richards and other British makers.
That being said, there are a lot of features a shotgun needs to have to be a Best.
I think these features include:
-Intercepting safety sears
-A screw-in hinge pin
I don't know if any of Greener's boxlocks had intercepting safety sears. I don't think Westley Richards' boxlocks had them.
I know Westley droplocks do not have screw-in hinge pins.
Engraving has nothing to do with Best quality. I've seen Best-quality guns with little to none. I've also seen "Best" quality guns with horrible engraving.
BTW: While British makers did use "Best" to differentiate their guns, it wasn't a hollow gimmick. It meant the best-quality that could be made, regardless of price.
OWD
Last edited by obsessed-with-doubles; 02/27/10 08:49 PM.
