Purdey Underbolt & Underbites

Purdey Underbolt - A sliding bar, running longitudinally through the watertable of a break-open side-by-side gun's action, with openings through which the lumps of the barrels pass when the gun is closed. Under spring tension, this bar moves forward when the opening control is released and its two locking surfaces engage complementary notches (bites) in the rear of the two barrel lumps. Originally operated by a hinged tab in front of the trigger guard. Now invariably operated by a cam from Scott's [toplever] spindle. Patented by Purdey in 1863, most modern side-by-side guns lock closed in this manner.

Double Lumps (the protrusions extending downwards from the breech end of the barrels) with Underbites (The square notches). The Purdey Bolt slides into these notches, locking the barrels into battery.

In each figure "d" is the actual bolt. Figure B shows the bolt alone.

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