Hello Folks

I’m interested in your feedback and comments for a project I’m working on. Like all things it may come to nothing, but who knows . . ??

The idea is to develop a new rifle frame concept for T/C Encore barrel-sets. The frame will be of the falling block type, to cater for those folk (like me) who detest the rifle stock shapes possible with the Encore frame, and for those who find that the tip-up action Encore frame is inconvenient in many hunting situations. If there is already such an existing product I’d appreciate you bring it to my attention.

So if you were instructing the designer what features would you be looking for in a Rifle Frame of the Falling Block type that will accept T/C Encore barrel-sets ??

Some areas where opinions are required:

One or two piece stock?
Exposed hammer or internal?
Short stiff or long easy lever swing?
Trigger swings with lever/remains with receiver?
Ejector or a simple extractor?
Cock on forward (action opening) or rearward (action closing) lever swing
Safety type(or not required)?
Lever is held closed by spring or Ruger/english style lock?

Cheers - Foster

Interesting idea. I had some thoughts along similar lines, but it involved ways of making readily detached barrels. Using the lock up the Maynard used seemed attractive, but replacing the toggle link with a simple screw.

As for opinions, I prefer two piece stocks, internal hammer, short swings of the lever, triggers on the frame (unless the trigger guard goes along for the ride), extractors, cock on opening, no safety, and a spring keeping the lever up.

How do you plan to push back the locking lugs on the Encore barrel, to release the barrel from the frame? These are right up near the breech face where your extractor will be, not to mention the breech mortise. Come to think of it, where to place your extractor? Or do you plan to have a linkage to the front of the barrel underlug to move back the Encore extractor. Or are you planning to pull out the existing extractor before installing the barrel. OK, I don't see how this will work...

I've gottten it to the one dimensional model stage. It is based on the Aydt action (really a swinging block)and uses the existing locking and extraction of the barrelset.

The barrel-set will be un-modified, but will not be quite as quick to interchange as it is in the tip-up, and the rearmost scope mount screw will be committed to retaining the barrel-set in the reciever (it does not take any of the firing forces.

My initial thoughts are that it is not going to be strong enough for cartridges bigger than the .473 bolt-face (or rimmed equivalent) but I'm working on this.

Cheers - Foster

When will you have it ready?And do you have drawing yet? One more thing would you make your action big to take a 4-bore cartridge.

4 Bore , that's a projectile of at least 1750gns right ?

Its been a while since they bred men tough enough to shoot a 4 bore, the demand would be minimal I suspect, but for you maybe we could plan a one off, which end do you want to go the fastest, the projectile or the "sportsman".

Cheers - Foster

Oops N/A just read your profile - maybe you were serious ?

quote:

It is based on the Aydt action

I take it you're planning to have the existing locking lugs index into the breech block? These extend beyond the breech face of the barrel, where the breech mortise is. Up inside the receiver, the under lever moves rearward but the locking lugs need to go forward, so I still don't see how you'll handle the lugs. If the locking lugs aren't allowed to lock (ie. they are pushed out of the way, inside the barrel underlug all the time) then that rear scope screw hole will be taking some serious stresses.

I suppose if there were room for the underlever to hinge high inside the breech (straddling the hammer), the initial motion of the lever could push in the lugs. Once the lugs were in, the underlever would act to swing down the swinging breech.

(Actually, unless a falling block can eject a case, I don't see it's all that much faster to reload than a tip up.)

It depends on where you pivot the lever, and I'm not going to tell you guys everything . . .

Speed of reloading isn't the issue for me, its the way the rifle changes from hand to hand that is a pain when you are hunting, especially if you are lying down, and that happens a lot in mountain hunting here.

You ask was i for real,the answer is yes.Over here in the state we are trying to get someone to make a falling block large enough to take a 4-bore round.So if you can get this project the ground us super large boys will welcome you.Also where can we see the Aydt at?

An underlug barrel has been for ages troubled many such rifles, even with Greener cross bolts near the top they shoot loose.

All sorts of contrivences have been used, and most work well with low pressure loads. Most all rimmed case Loads for these rifles have been loaded with moderate pressures in mind.

With a falling block in mind I would adopt a system like Savage using a barrel nut. Or an interrupted thread with a lock nut.

These barrels would not be too easy to interchange in the field, since you would have to carrey some tools along, but the would be substantially more robust and accureate.

An Encore barrel would be an order item while a threaded barrel could be made by anybody with a lath. Making a single shot falling block from Encore frame from scratch would tax anybodies ingenuity.

For a break open single shot the lengendary Simson Jaeger lock is perhaps one of the strongest in break open high pressure guns.
This 1906 patent has expired now and the system is now used by Blaser and Merkel. Barrels are easy to change.

quote:

where can we see the Aydt

Frank de Haas's big book on single shots has drawings, pictures, and a complete description. It's not the strongest action ever made.