Holmes talling-block single-shot rifle, ‘Holmes mm autoloading pistol, 4 Home Workshop Prototype Firearms.Bottom side of falling block. Falling block action with square: breechblock. Falling-biock action with round breechblock. ‘Actions 4Slide-action 12-gauge shotyun with square receiver. ‘The lugs extended outward and were consider- Ahly larger in ameter than the bot body ing raceways cut most o/ the length of the receiver to allow the lugs to move back and forth. In recent years, a number of designs have appeared with three or more lugs spaced equidistantly around the bolt body with the lugs of the same diameter. This eliminates the need for bolt raceways cut in the receiver. The more lugs that are used, the less bolt lift is required (two lugs require a 90-degree bolt lift, three HS} pr pl enpters ats ienphstor ed bolt lies a steeper angle in the cocking ich, THA ton onl Se eoueldecibly inne coe Sepeires see disthe elt a oe: of sig than needed with the two-lug job. There are also straight pull designs, which may have a rotating bolthead ted by cam action or a cross bolt that locks through both sides of the receiver, | made several trap guns based on the straight pull cross-bolt action. also built a gun they called a “T bolt” that had a similar action. They offered no advan- tage over the turn bolt, ‘Lever actions are only used on rifles at pre- sent. Winchester made shotguns years ago, and Marlin also made a few, as well as at least one other firm. They couldn’t compete with the slide action, however, and gradually faded away. The more modern lever actions have either rotating ‘boltheads that lock at the front just behind the 40 Home Workshop Prototype Firsarms barrel or locking bolts located at the rear of the action which ride in slots in the frame and ‘engage into slots in the bolt, er, Several reproduction rifles are available, duplic Henry and Winchesters, aes puneuia merece: not suitable for ‘Single-shot actions, that concern us here, can falling-block actions and break- ‘open actions. The break-open actions usually hinge in the middle just ahead of the trigger guard. Several different types of locking bolts are used to lock the barrel assembly in place aganat the frame. This bolt is by pressing a top lever crosswise. This type of action, properly made, is suitable for use with any cartridge made for a shoulder-fired firearm. ‘The falling-block action uses a lever-actuated breechblock that slides up and down in the receiver, closing and opening the breech end of the barrel. Both these and the break-open action usually incorporate an automatic ejector that throws the empty case out of the chamber when the gun is opened after firing. Both types are usually hammer fired and contain very few moving parts. The falling-block action, p designed and built, is suitable for use with pressure cartridges. Multiple barrel firearms are almost always built on break-open actions, Barrel will be either side by side or over and under.Rising-block action shown in 12-gauge dimensions. It can be used in automatic, slide action, or straight pull. Actions 49