doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Sidelocks vs Boxlocks

It takes less time (and argueably, skill) to build a boxlock, but functionally you simply can't fault them. They stopped using intercepters on them because they really didn't need them.

LB,
Regarding triggers, my thought is that a boxlock has much better inherent potential for better trigger pull (takeup, creep, weight, overtravel) than a sidelock, since the lockworke parts are locked together in one monolith and there are less parts to move.

The Brits do things right but are slow to accept change. I have spent time with a saddlemaker, working on English polo saddles. You should see the number of tacks--plain carpet tacks--that come out of one when you take it apart. We put them back together a lot differently.

Fun post! For me SL or BL, matters not. I have both and like them all the same. There is a sleekness and somewhat racer look to a SL or a BL with sideplates, especially with an English stock and splinter forend. BL's are just that, boxy looking, even with scalloped edges. Just can't beat a SL for looks!

As to which is better, who knows. A lot depends on the maker and the parts being used, proper hardening, polishing and fitting. I've seen some SL's that look wonderful on the outside, great engraving, the locks properly inletted and fitted, and on the inside rough as a cob. Makes you wonder how the gun could even fire! But, seen the same on BL's also.

Quality is the major factor IMO when dealing with either one. Still, a debate that will go one to the seconding coming (and beyond I bet).

Best!

Greg

Great! What a juicy topic to wax on about.

Functionally speaking (as you asked), there are differences between boxlocks and sidelocks as mentioned above. Diggory discusses this at length and the various highly regarded opinions on the debate in his first book, �Vintage Guns for the Modern Shot�.

From an engineering viewpoint, it would be hard to argue against the boxlock being the better design. There are fewer parts and fewer parts are better as there is less to go wrong. The beauty of the boxlock design lies in it�s brilliant simplicity. Boxlocks are often derided because there are far more cheaply made boxolcks than there are cheaply made sidelocks in circluation. This is actually a tesimony to the design as cheaply made sidelocks do not work for very long, if at all.

Sidelocks are almost always made as best guns these days which further strengthens the notion that sidelocks are �superior� to boxlocks but this is no indication that the mechanical design is better.
The reality is that most people wanting a new, bespoke SxS want a sidelock and interestingly, a new, bespoke boxlock is not much cheaper to make!
Wax on!

I have sidelocks which were old before I "WAS". They are still performing admirably, so much for the longevity part. I have never owned a gun with intercepting sears & have never had a situation arise where I felt the need for one.
I will admit though my favorite gun is a Box Lock, a Levefer Arms Co gun which in always resembles a sidelock except that the parts actually attch to the fraame. The parts essentially maintain the same positions as they would in a sidelock, they just don't attach to the side plate. It seems to take on the best attributes of both.
Incidently box locks date well back into the ML era, even to the flint age.

The finish eats up a lot of the price of a "best work" gun. Therefore, costwise, it matters little what the design, style, or brand (excepting for significantly differing cost for skilled labor). It took me a long time to figure this out and even longer to accept it.

Anyone who has not done so should read "Nothing But the Best" for an insight into the Brit skilled trades.

DDA

This is one of those threads which is as much about which flavor ice cream or brand is best. In some respects I hesitate to throw into the argument but here it goes:

In looking at the designs (BLE vs SLE) the one difference I find that seems to favor the SLE is the use of replaceable firing pins (stykers). I have had to replace the hammer on an A&D style action on which the pin had broken off. While it is an uncommon occurence it is much easier to fix on SLE. Is there a boxlock design which does not had the firing pin integral to the hammer

I am surprised that the question of whether the triggerplate round action is superior to either the sidelock or boxlock. I will always regret letting loose of the one german triggerplate action I let pass through my hands.

In final analysis I could argue any of the three is superior in their best forms.

IMO, trigger pulls on sidelocks are not inherently better than they are on boxlocks. There are more cheap boxlocks made, which have poor triggerpulls, than there are sidelocks and, a sidelock is much easier to tune the trigger on, than a boxlock. I own both, and have tuned triggers on both, the sidelock is much easier to do.

But, there is nothing about the design of a sidelock that gives it an edge on having a better trigger pull than a boxlock.

SRH

if you have ever been near an accidental discharge, due to a boxlock not having intercepting sears, you wouldn't say they don't need them and may actually consider selling yours in favor of sidelocks. They are strong no doubt and I would say many sidelocks are more delicate, the exception being a similar sized Purdey.