Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only WEAR INDICATORS ON DOUBLE RIFLES

So aside from the obvious "off face" issue, I had a nice visit with George Caswell from Champlin at DSC and he also said taking the forearm off and shaking the rifle to see if it rattles and lastly, with the ction closed, holding it up to the light and if you see daylight between the flats and the barrels, that too is a sign. Now how about the position of the lever? I've heard that if the lever sits wither perfectly even or to the left of center line, that too is an indicator? Thoughts anyone?

I’ve read that too about the top lever and doubles. My personal opinion is that position of the top lever depends on the way it was originally manufactured. Older doubles were literally hand made, parts were hand fitted and hand lapped (quality guns). So where was the lever originally? A few degrees right or very noticeable?

Caswell knows doubles as well as anyone, so his checkpoints can be adhered to.

Another thing about the top lever is that issue is usually in conversations about shotguns, which can have thousands of rounds through them. Damn few big bore rifles will approach 1000 rounds in their lifetime. Nobody takes their .470 to the range and pops off a hundred rounds, but that’s only 4 rounds of skeet with a scatter gun.

Removing the forend and checking if the gun rattles is not a good method to check if the gun is off face. In most doubles, shotguns and rifles, the forend iron intentionally loads the joint by pulling the hook forward into the hinge pin. This keeps the joint stable when the gun is assembled but loosens the joint for disassembly when the forend is removed.

If the top lever is straight down or to the left of center it means the locking block is wore out and needs to be replaced. At least on a SxS or O/U shotgun IME.

This is what Jerome (formerly with Verney Carron and now with Rigby) told me, he did add however, that the lever will move to the left as you shoot the gun and the locks/action "settle" into place. He also went on to say VC actions are the strongest out there and I agree.