doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com William Evans 12 Bore

I just aquired a beautiful pair of Willian Evans SXS in 12 bore and I want to shoot them. The guns were made in 1895 and have Nitro proof barrels. Does anyone have suggestions for safe shooting. I am new to the forum but you guys seem to be very informative.

Either reload low pressure (7500 psi or less) and light shot charge (1 oz or less) or buy "vintage" type loads. DO NOT run out and buy SAAMI standard (typical USA) loads. They may have too high pressure. Your guns are most likely 2 1/2" chambers. That for sure requires known low pressure if you are going to use 2 3/4" hulls. DO NOT shoot any shells you do not know the pressure of. Most CIP (typical European) 2 1/2" loads will be fine. Your guns are most likely game weight and will recoil sharply if you use either heavy shot charges or high velocity. 7/8 oz shot at 1100 fps will "gitter done" for most shotgun needs.

Thank you for the info.
The chambers are 2 3/4 , I think Cabelas has the vintage shells.

Try these guys for vintager type shells:

http://www.polywad.com/sale.html

or,

http://www.classicusc.com/RST_Shotshells_s/139.htm

Both excellent quality shells and they'll ship to you...Geo

Thank you. I appreciate the assistance.

Cavediver, the barrel flats will tell you on that late a pair if they were proofed and chambered for 2 3/4 shells. Would not be surprised if they were and suspect they are proofed for 1 1/8 ounces of shot. If so, you should feel perfectly comfortable using any modern loads up to that weight. Unless they were purpose built for heavy work (unlikely, but you will likely find 1 1/4 ounce on the flat if they were), you will find the 1 ounce target loads are a joy at the clays range.

Hi, I'd advise against shooting modern loads in your fine old pair. If your gun was proofed for 2 3/4" it was proofed for 9682 psi. Pressure is what you have to be concerned about, not shot charge. Modern loads are for the most part 11,500 psi.

While the action maybe able to take these loads, I wouldn't shoot them for fear of damage to the action and stock after repeated use of modern loads.

I'd heed Rocketmans and the others advise and stick to known low pressure loads.

Better safe than sorry!

All the best and I hope you have many happy and healthy years shooting them!!

Greg

The flats do indeed say 2 3/4 Nitro Proof and 1 1/8.
I want to be able to shoot them without fear of damage so I will go with the low pressure and 1 oz of shot.
I really appreciat all the insight you guys have to offer.

I'm either confused or has your guns been reproofed ? If they were built in 1895 the proof marks would not have 2 3/4 stamped. It would have 1 1/8 or 1 1/4 and the words "nitro proof".
Chamber length were not stampped till the 1925 rules of proof .
Given the age I would have assumed they were original Black powder and were subsiquently reproofed at some later date.

Many guns had the chambers lenghtened to clean up corrosion in the forcing cone area prior to reproof.
The UK dealers I know prefer a 2 3/4" reproof to make getting shells easier and help a gun sell. All UK shells are within 12 gauge CIP pressures so a 2 1/2" or 2 3/4" 12 would yield similar pressures.
Was this the pair of Evans guns Cabelas had? I was watching them. They are nice.

Joe

Actually 1 1/8 ounce proofs were for 2 1/2" chambers. 1 1/4 ounce proofs were 2 3/4" chmabers. Actual chamber length would not have been marked with proofs of that timeframe. The 2 3/4" chamber stamps had to be a later reproof or newer/sleeved barrels after approx. 1925.

The other piece of advice to cavediver that has been missing so far is the STRONG advisement to have the guns checked out by a qualified Double oriented gunsmith before shooting anything with them.

You are being steered correctly with regard to shell pressure. In a fit of dyslexia I read your original post as 1985. If it says 2 3/4 then it almost certainly was repoofed. As others have suggested, I would keep the loads down.

I just returned from a business trip and looked at the guns tonight. They do say Nitro Proof and 1 1/8 max. It does not say the chamber length, my mistake. I bought the guns from Steve Barnett in Mississippi and I know he is very reputable.They do have 23/4 inch chambers. They also have a 13 over a 1 and a 12 over C in a box and several crown stamps.
I ordered a case of the classic shells with 1 oz of shot.
I cant wait to shoot them but want to proceed with caution.
Thanks everyone.

Joe,
The guns were from Steve Barnetts fine guns. I did see the Cabelas guns. This is my first pair of British shotguns.
Thanks

Hi, I saw the pair on Steve's site, a fine looking pair!! I think you'll find that you won't have any trouble with them. I've delt with Steve and he is an honest and upright guy. I'd feel good about any purchase from him.

The 12C in the "box" (diamond) just means that the gun is chambered for 12 gauge (or Bore when speaking about English guns). the 13 over the 1 means that the gun is bored tighter that the normal boring for a 12 bore gun (.729). This marking means the gun at the time of proof was bored to .719.

Again, congratulations on a fine pair of English guns!! Shoot them long and well.

All the best!

Greg