By far the most "common" H&H shotgun action I've seen has been the bar action type. The most "common" H&H rifle type I've seen is a back action type. Purdey guns are also bar action, with the self opening feature relying on the main spring and taking the tension off the mainspring when the gun is diassemblrd.

In the following comment keep in mind that recoil effects the gun as well as the shooter and that heavier guns both suffer less from recoil and also can be built stronger to tolerate more recoil simply because the can contain more material either steel or wood.

I don't doubt that an English best game gun would come appart before a 21. This shouldn't suprise anyone since most English guns are built for what most Americans consider light loads. Std English 12ga feild load is 1 1/16oz. You don't swing or hump around the extra one or two pounds of a gun built to handle heavier loads though. If you want a gun to handle what amounts to English pidgeon loads buy the pidgeon gun and not the game gun. the game gun will weigh about 6 1/2lbs to 6 3/4lbs and the pidgeon gun 7 1/4 or more.

The English believed in the Rule of 96 which states that the gun should weigh 96 times the shot charge or so. 1 1/16 oz times 96 equals 6lbs 6oz. 1 1/8oz times 96 equals 6lbs 12oz. The std pidgeon load of 1 1/4oz times 96 equals seven and a half pounds or roughly the weight of the average model 21.

I've never seen or handled a model 21 that could be called sleek or svelte or quick, most are simply overweight. The std gun is heavy, the duck guns ponderous; on occasion you run into a 21 that is reasonably light but it ussually has short barrels and the balance and handling issues associated with them. They ought to withstand the heavier shot loads.

Is the back action stonger? Yes. Is it stronger than the bar action or the box lock? Yes. Stronger than the round trigger plate action? Maybe not. Is any of them strong enough? YES!

But keep in mind that all English guns and rifles are built with the idea that the gun or rifle will be back to the maker for maintenance on a regular if not yearly basis; so the guns could be built lighter and yet last longer; ditto for the rifles.

JPK