doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Follow up on my other post

So what if you have 2 guns around the same price. One the previous boxlock. a vitually "new " gun around 105 years old vs a good sidelock that has good quality sleeving and restocking that's about 125 years old? The sidelock would need a little bending , the boxlock none

Boxlock, the sidelock sounds like it has been well used. Sleeved guns take a huge whack on the market value wise. Not much originality left on the sidelock.

This is so easy. If you really like them both, and they are really worth the asking price... buy both of them. Buy at a price that you can reasonably expect to get most or all of your money back out of them if you later decide you don't like them.

I have a lot more regrets about guns I didn't buy than guns I bought.

Keith I wish. there at the top of my budget. no way I'd afford both.

"Personally" I'd take the side lock. Sidelocks have just always had an appeal to me that is totally lacking in a boxlock. I say this even though my earliest experiences with doubles were all Boxlocks.

Not having deep enough pockets to afford the truly "Beats" my personal favorite has become the American Lefever. Yes, I am fully aware it is technically a Boxlock, but it has far more in common with a normal bar-action sidelock than with a true boxlock. Also, the side plates are not just "Falsies" but expose the lockwork when removed.

I have a Birmingham side lock of lower quality than a Best, a J P Clabrough & it has shown no tendency of being in any way an inferior gun. It is a pre-1900 gun, likely around 125 rs old & since I have had it has had one broken part, a stirrup connecting the mainspring to the hammer. This was at least 35 yrs ago. I made a new one for it & it is still going strong. It is a 6 lp 14 oz 28 barreled Damascus. I habitually shot it with 1 oz loads at around 1125 fps @ about 8K psi.

The boxlock. It fits. Nobody who bends stocks can or will guarantee it won�t break when he does it, or that it won�t move back. You don�t mention if either is an ejector (more potential trouble, but, I digress) but, keep in mind a sidelock NE is damn near impossible to sell. It sounds like that one has been used, a lot.
If it is unused, the boxlock likely needs a service.

Good luck.

Best,
Ted

They're both ejectors

The boxlock sounds like a better gun with original barrels. You also won't need to spend money on stock bending. Did you ever look at Rocketman's spreadsheet to get a ballpark price on used British guns?

Ken

Nope. Just seen his responses. Not thee acual spreadsheet