Lever lock break barrel vs spring detent lock, what do you think is best and why?

[Hsing-ee]

The only post-War lever lock that actually 'locks' is on the HW55 which cams down and locks solid. All the other ones can be opened with a firm rabbit punch.

The HW98 and HW80 etc have relatively small chisel detents but they can be made as accurate as any springer, so I would say the barrel lock is a waste of time and engineering.

Get a fixed-barrel rifle if you are concerned about breech misalignment.

[mallyally]

The only post-War lever lock that actually 'locks' is on the HW55 which cams down and locks solid. All the other ones can be opened with a firm rabbit punch.
.

Try that with an LGV

[Hsing-ee]

Try that with an LGV

Shan't.

[mallyally]

Shan't.

OK

[dvd]

The only post-War lever lock that actually 'locks' is on the HW55 which cams down and locks solid. All the other ones can be opened with a firm rabbit punch.

The HW98 and HW80 etc have relatively small chisel detents but they can be made as accurate as any springer, so I would say the barrel lock is a waste of time and engineering.

Get a fixed-barrel rifle if you are concerned about breech misalignment.

The Diana Mod 65 and 66 break barrels use a locking lever to collapse the spring of the detent and thus mechanically wedge the chisel edge of the detent against a small chisel like protrusion in the action, thereby eliminating having to rely on just the spring's tension to achieve a good lock-up.
No amount of abuse or slapping will make these Diana barrels budge once locked. Is it any more accurate? Maybe, maybe not.
The detent on its own whatever type it is, will not work as intended unless the breech block and pivot pin are wobble free.I have a high powered HW80 and HW90 both very accurate with (just) the simpler spring loaded chisel detent, but they get slapped just the same.

[Geezer]

The Diana Mod 65 and 66 break barrels use a locking lever to collapse the spring of the detent and thus mechanically wedge the chisel edge of the detent against a small chisel like protrusion in the action, thereby eliminating having to rely on just the spring's tension to achieve a good lock-up.
No amount of abuse or slapping will make these Diana barrels budge once locked. Is it any more accurate? Maybe, maybe not.
The detent on its own whatever type it is, will not work as intended unless the breech block and pivot pin are wobble free.I have a high powered HW80 and HW90 both very accurate with (just) the simpler spring loaded chisel detent, but they get slapped just the same.

I’ve used most of these systems over the years, and can confirm that the 65/66 is as above positively and solidly locked.

I genuinely don’t care about this. The FWB Sport has in theory a really weak lock-up, but it shot better in its hey-day than almost everything else, including in FT. Done well, they all work fine.