The boxlock, or body action , was the first really successful hammerless sporting gun, from 1875. In the following decades, boxlocks, with their fewer parts and suitability for machine production became the gun for everyman . 20th century conventions adopted by major firms in using sidelocks for best quality guns has wrongly made the boxlock a poor relation in the eyes of many collectors and shooters today. This book will educate the reader in the huge variation in boxlock design and quality. It tells the fascinating story of the development and perfection of body action guns of all qualities. The owner of a 19th or 20th century boxlock will discover a wealth of information about his gun and the prospective buyer will find this book essential reading. It covers: the history and development of actions, the various ejector mechanisms, how to evaluate different quality grades, trouble-shooting problems in various models, the complex relationships between the manufacturers, and retailers of the guns over the last 130 years. AUTHOR: Diggory Hadoke was born in Hereford in 1967. He started shooting with a BSA air rifle but quickly graduated to his father s 12-bore Webley & Scott 700 boxlock, with which he taught himself to shoot rabbits and pigeons with some degree of success. Originally an English Language teacher, Diggory lived and taught in Europe, Thailand and India before settling in London where he was the Academic Director of a London college for a decade and travelled widely as an examiner for Trinity College London and Cambridge University. He founded Vintageguns.co.uk in 2005 and is a former Managing Director of Atkin, Grant & Lang. He now operates as a British gun dealer in London and Houston. Diggory s has publsihed two books, Vintage Guns for the Modern Shot, (2007) and The British Boxlock Gun and Rifle (2012); his work also appears in The Game Book (2008); and he is a regular contributor to Sporting Shooter, The Double Gun Journal and Gun Trade News.
