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Doll's heads, by their shape, can only prevent the action from pulling straight back off the barrels, or the barrels from moving straight ahead off the action face. The barrel lugs and hinge pin prevent this movement from happening. A doll's head will not even start to prevent a double's action from coming off face. It can't, as it's shape allows the barrels to move in exactly the direction it is suppose to stop. I can se no benefit with a doll's head. I suppose it can correct sloppy lugs from allowing the barrels to swing left and right when in the locked positon, - probably why they're on Belgium guns.[;)]

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Entirely false.

In answer to your question, Doc, the doll's head and third bite referred to in the link is the Westley Richards "C Type". It was used in Westley Richards' original 1875 patent for the legendary Anson & Deeley body action (boxlock) gun, and is still in use today. While this type third fastener engages the doll's head, it slides fore and aft and is retracted by the top lever, while the screw grip locks by rotating against a beveled extension on the doll's head. Most Westley double rifles have a doll's head and third fastener, but not all are of this type.

Today, the A & D boxlocks that use the C-type doll's head and sliding top bolt that we're used to seeing are accompanied by a Scott spindle that actuates Purdey's double underlug bolts, and that's how Westley builds them today. There's an interesting facet of the original patented A & D design though. In the original A & D boxlock patent, and as originally manufactured by Westley Richards, lock-up was accomplished ONLY by the C-type doll's head and sliding top bolt - THERE WERE NO UNDERLUGS. Westley built a fair number of guns and rifles on the original design before the underlugs, Scott Spindle and Purdey bolts were incorporated into it, and they were nothing if not successful. The A & D is the most wildly successful double gun design of all time. Although I think the later Webley type is better, the C-type is a good design.

Unless it's a screw-grip, I care little if a double rifle has a third fastener or not. I wouldn't want a full nitro double rifle that didn't have a doll's head or top extension of some kind though.

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"Serious rifles have two barrels, everything else just burns gunpowder."

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