Dear Bruce:

I just read Ron Jones’ series in Shotgun Sports entitled Lock, Stock and Barrel. He wrote several paragraphs in Part II (Dec 2017 issue) on Round Body actions. I also noticed that in your magazine, Shooting Sportsman in the March-April 2018 issue, both Caesar Guerini and Fausti are advertising Round Body actions. Both guns being advertised are field guns. I understand that Round Body guns may be more comfortable to carry in the field than squarish Box Locks, but are there any other advantages to Round Body actions that would interest a shooter (e.g. quicker lock time)? Would there be any good reason to put a Round Body in a target gun?

Thanks,
Bill Patterson

Dear Bill,

The vocabulary for gun related items is a sometime thing. Some phrases are generally understood, others not so well. “Round Body” is one of these phrases. I do not have access to the Shotgun Sports issue which you mention containing the information on Round Body actions, so I really can’t comment on it.

Generally true Round Body actions are considered to be the trigger plate actions of side-by-sides as started by MacNaughton, and then carried on by Dickson and later McKay Brown. The ejector rods are tucked in towards the center of the body, compared to an Anson & Deeley action, and with the action mounted on the trigger plate, this allows room to round the bottom of the action. This results in a svelte and small SxS action. There may indeed be a true round body O/U, but I have not had the privilege of examining one.

And then there is the “Rounded Body” action. This is generally a simple grinding away of some excess metal on the bottom edges of a standard square action SxS or O/U. It is cosmetic only. But still very nice for that. It does allow a more comfortable field carry without the sharp edges. Since it is cosmetic only, it is really up to the preference of the shooter as to whether this feature is desirable.

Best regards,
Bruce Buck
Shotgun Report’s Technoid