In reply to:

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All things being equal, the longer the lever the more mechanical advantage, and 500 is right they are quicker to reload.

Maineguide

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The "SNAPP ACTION"which is what the Searcy is, is intirely different from the Jones Under lever, in the way it works! The Jones turning a double lug cam which pulls the barrel set down against the barr surface, and is strong in it's lock-up but has no camming effect helping to OPEN the action. The Snapp is the same from a camming effect to help open the action, but the long strong lever give you more leverage to slide the locking plate out of the under bites. The internal parts are basiclly the same as the top lever, but with the better leverage.

The speed of loading is no better than with the top lever, unless a hot load binds the action, where the extra leverage is needed to slide the locking plate. The speed of loading depends on the person doing the loading, more than anything. Some here like to load with the trigger hand, and some load with the fore hand! For the man who loads with the trigger hand, the use of a butt-stock ammo carrier is usefull, but in large calibers tend to throw the rifle's ballance off because of the extra weight on the butt of the rifle. If the rounds are on one's belt, the butt of the rifle is in the way of your hand getting to the next two rounds, so they are pulled from the belt one at a time, takeing longer, IMO! This is usually the case with the use of a double with a SNAPP, or JONES LEVER action because the trigger hand has to be removed from the rifle to work the levers. The top lever doesn't require one to remove his hand from the wrist of the rifle, and the barrels can be loaded quite quickly by the fore hand. This is the loading process that is so often seen with the two cartridges between the fingers of the fore hand. The fore hand simply pulled up to drop the two rounds into the open chambers, in one smooth motion. If one loads this type action from the belt, at least, the rifle isn't in the way.

The rifles 500 posted are very well done rifles, and both types are good, depending on what you like, but, for the most part, the speed of loading one over the other, is a matter of practice, more than the lever type, except for the JONES version which is slower than the other two, by a long shot!


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..........Mac >>>===(x)===>
DUGABOY1, and MacD37 founding member of DRSS www.doublerifleshooterssociety.com
"If I die today, I have had a life well spent, for I've been to see the Elephant, and smelled the smoke of Africa!"

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