Durability, Drop Breech vrs. Break Action

[flmason]

Looks to me like the winner would be break action. Seems drop (and flip breeches) have more small parts and smaller bearing surfaces on those parts.

Anyone think the drop actions look a little to flimsy?

[simonkenton]

You left out The Champion. The bolt action Savage.

[Keith Lewis]

The break actions have been around a long time and have been pretty much the same for all that time. I agree that the drop actions have more tendency to have small problems like full lock up and solid feel just due to the inherent design aspects. I have both and the most solid action is my Huntsman which also has a better trigger than the Omega. With the new MU breechplug it is becomming my favorite over all the rest with possibly a hard competition from the Whites. The only way the Savage makes any sense is if you are shooting smokeless and it is not legal in Arizona, it is too heavy and messy to clean if using the substitutes.

[coop2564]

Think your over thinking it some, there's pros and cons both ways but the reality is they both work very well. Problems can happen with any of the actions. Break actions can have lock up, hinge pin issues and for-end problems that affect accuracy, although I personally have not seen that in ML'ers, many have complained about it though and I have had problems with them in center fire rifles for sure. The drop actions have a more stable barrel stock mating compared to the break actions but again in the real world they all will put the bullet in the boiler room! I have both and have confidence in both! However if you told me I had to just take one and spend the next few yrs living off it in the wilderness it would be my omega.

[Buckskins & Black Powder]

i prefer the Break open.  Easy to clean and easy to prime.  I dont really give a darn what the heck it is, As long as its comfortable to shoot and accurate.

[flmason]

Hi Everyone,
   Yes, I'm getting some paralysis analysis. Pretty much shopping low end and don't want a failing gun down the road. Things get better at some point then I'll probably relax a little. No doubt they're all barrels with some sort of striker. So assuming equal barrels, accuracy should be the same.

So here's the deal. I'm thinking either Traditions Yukon or Traditions Buck Stalker. My personal concerns run sort of this way:


Yukon: Slightly lower cost, could have a scope in the deal in my budget. But not sure if it's durable. Also when the action drops, I believe the sides of the block actually drop down into the trigger guard area, making me wonder if blowby can burn your fingers via that route? Can something odd happen and the block actually be driven down and injure or break your trigger finger? Also not sure if the action and barrel are actually linked or if just plastic is keeping things in place. Also, seems like the locking mechanism of the drop block... one little push button would be prone to wearing out fast, causing firing pin alignment problems? Also you remove the block by just holding the button in. Seems you could lose the block and or have a hard time being sure it's aligned if trying to get a second shot out ASAP.

On the plus side, all the parts come out. You can clean everything in detail.

Buck Stalker: Slightly higher price tag. Would have to forego scope. Looks way more durable and less prone to blowby getting to the shooter. Essentially the same break action design that shotguns have used for over a century. But... it's pinned together, not screwed together... do if you want to do a real cleaning, you have to void warranty and drive the pins out. Not sure if that's a good idea after every session either. Lastly, receiver is some sort of "alloy". No idea how durable nor corrosion resistant that is.

So bottom line, I too think the break action looks more durable, but wonder about Traditions' particular build of it. And I'm not entirely sure what to think of the drop breech/ falling block thing. Looks like it has more fiddly parts and might be more prone to breakage and gas blow by to the shooter. But having the scope in budget seems like a plus, if my worries are unfounded.

So help me pick.

Can only have one rifle at the moment. Granted were things better, guess a 30-30 or .30-06 might be the real way to go. Seems I should be able to get .44 special to .45-70 or even .50-90 or .50-110 performance out of a .50 cal. inline, so out to 150 yards, should be just fine, despite the extra overhead in the field of operating a muzzleloader.

[coop2564]

Between those I would go Buck Stalker! However for that price you can get a Knight disc extreme which IMO would be a better quality gun. Gun Broker is full of them at $178. Or u could get a KP1 for $220. Or if a center fire rifle is desired you could get a Handi rifle in any cal for around $189 to 240!

[flmason]

Handi Rifle in say .30-06 would probably be excellent. :-)

[coop2564]

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/board,126.0.html

Go here to read all about em. They have a very strong following I have one with a .308 barrel, 243 and ML'er.

[Buckskins & Black Powder]

i'd check out the CVA Wolf over the traditions. Im not to impressed with the workmanship on traditions inlines. Their sidelocks quality easily outdoes their inlines.  They need to step up a lot on the inline branch.

[flmason]

@Coop2564 - Yeah, I'm already familiar with the shotguns. Several were passed from my grandfather to my father. They outlasted a similarly passed down 18xx(?) Marlin pump shotgun that started to get loose. Definitely a classic and simple design. I like them. :-)

@ bigblock455 - Ah well, ya know I like 427's better. ;-)  But seriously, I do own a CVA '61 Navy. Can't recall as a family member has it on the other side of the country at the moment, but I think it actually was a Uberti? Bought it in the 80's. Hand spring broke, as is typical, but other than that, well made, accurate, good shooter. No particular bias against CVA, to be sure. Were cost not an issue and I were doing BP... I'd be looking at Pa. Rifles, Plains Rifles and Springfields, LOL! The inline route favors my desire for a low cost, but effective arm, that I can have shipped without a lot of aggravations and transfer fees.

Any of the internet dealers will ship right to my UPS box with BP. With centerfire, gotta check background check (haven't bought a centerfire gun in 15 years... us fingerprinting required these days?), transfer fees, arranging with an FFL, blah blah blah. Then for handguns here in Ca. I've been told there's a 30 question test you have to pass.

But, of course, centerfire guns solve all the problems inherent in loose powder guns. So I guess no matter how you look at it, you pay one way or the other.

[SHOOTALL]

ENCORE , that says it all between the 2 action types you compare . add the savage bolt gun and the debate really will start . Shame Knight is out as it had some fine rifles also at one time .

[Buckskins & Black Powder]

Okay, just was trying to warn you is all 

[flmason]

ENCORE , that says it all between the 2 action types you compare . add the savage bolt gun and the debate really will start . Shame Knight is out as it had some fine rifles also at one time .

OK, I'll check that out too.

[flmason]

Okay, just was trying to warn you is all 

Thanks much. I was being a little irreverent above. But definitely I hear what you are saying.