The side by side gun Paolo Tebaldi w w w.s m o c teniron.
The breech-loading side by side gun reaches the age of 200. First of all what we are talking about: Side by side: Over and under: Billing: Drilling: gun with two smooth or rifled barrels mounted one beside the other horizontally. Rarely one smooth barrel and one rifled barrel. gun with two smooth or rifled barrels, one on the top of the other. over and under with a smooth upper barrel and a rifled lower barrel. a three-barreled gun, typically with two identical side-by-side smooth barrels mounted above one rifled barrel. There are also few samples made with a lower smooth barrel (three barreled gun). There are other configurations, rare pieces of skill that are made rather for the sake of art than for necessity. Let's get to the point, our purpose is to show how significant shotguns of the types listed above are made inside, getting also an historic individuation of the ideas and of the mechanical solutions that have transformed the insecure creation of Pauly into the modern shotgun. One thing to consider is that the two hundred years since the first dazzling idea of 1812 are characterized by different commitments and rates. Until about 1860 France is going through a "pioneering" phase that's looked upon with great suspicion from the reassuring muzzleloading' world. Since 1860, at the beginning of the second industrial revolution, English gunsmiths impress their research such an acceleration as to bring them to the finish line in just thirty years. After 1900, apart the Zanotti's lumps, there are no significant news. Materials and barrels are improved, closures, locks and ejectors are perfected, the research goes on upon the over and under, but the side by side remains the same. Between the two world wars highest reputation gunsmiths produce very accurate guns. In the second half of the 20th century the shooting platform over and under gun reaches maturity. While the desire for the semi-automatic has diminished, in the last years a restricted number of artists manufacturers continues the realization of refined guns. They deserve our applause and our admiration for the will, ability and commitment for enhancing the firearm making art. by Paolo Tebaldi - Pag.1
The side by side In order not to get lost, we propose a chronological summary of the key inventions that have transformed the duckling into a swan. This is a list, probably an incomplete one, of valid solutions, chosen because they are well-working and have been used for a long period or even today. It regrets having ignored (at the time) beautiful guns from the period 1860/80, they are characterized by a great manufacturing, but made with mechanical solutions quickly dropped into disuse from the rapid development. For the same reason the best production of twentieth century doesn't appears here, superb side by side guns but off the invention time. 1812. Pauly. Breech-loading hammerless side by side, the breech rotates upwards. Tumblers are cocked via two external levers. 1812. Pauly side by side. 1831. Robert. Hammerless. Tumblers are cocked raising the gun breech. 1831. Robert hammerless. Pag.2
1832-36.Lefaucheux. Break-action gun, pinfire ignition cartridge. 1832-1836. Lefaucheux pinfire cartridge. 1858. Francois Eugene Schneider side by side. 1858. Francois Eugene Schneider. Hammer gun, centerfire cartridge (primer located in the center of the cartridge). The modern side by side shotgun is born. 1858. Westley Richards. He realizes the doll's head extension of the top rib. 1858. Westley Richards doll s head extension. Pag.3
1859. Henry Jones. He patents his double grip rotary underlever, then largely used on the Express side by side guns. 1859. Henry Jones double grip on a H&H 8 bore. 1867. W.W. Greener. He patents the famous cross-bolt mechanism. 1867. Greener cross-bolt on a S&S. 1870-75 Purdey. He develops the current double lumps with toplever and the action with the crossbar. He mounts the Stanton' locks with rebounding hammers. 1870-75. Purdey double lumps on a toplever break-action gun. Pag.4
1875. Westley Richards. He produces the side by side shotgun with Anson & Deeley mechanical. The actual A. & D. is born. 1875. Westley Richards, Anson & Deeley mechanical. 1875. W. & C. Scott. They create a hammerless on which tumblers are cocked by the barrels' opening. 1875. W. & C. Scott hammerless. 1880. John Dickson. He announces the birth of the round body side by side. Its appearance will have great luck. Pag.5
1886. Holland & Holland. They produce the colonel Fosbery' Paradox. 1888-90. Holland & Holland. They develop their Royal. It will inspire a big part of the gunsmiths. 1890. In St. Etienne. The wonderful Ideal is produced. 1890. The Ideal side by side. Pag.6
1893. Regis Darne. His unmistakable side by side shotgun becomes like the actual one. 1893. The mature Darne side by side. 1897. Westley Richards. He equips his side by side with hand-removable locks (droplock). 1897. Westley Richards with hand removable locks. 1906. Giacinto Zanotti. He constructs the three compass turns lumps. 1906. Zanotti three compass turns lumps. To conclude. From this point on, the side by side has reached maturity. The next commitment makes it more reliable but is not able to do it different. Pag.7