doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com How much can I shoot?

I'm sure this has been covered before, but I could not find it. How much can one shoot a vintage double given the gun is in excellent shape and in proof? The loads used would be under 8000 psi. What is most prone to break? Thanks.

Jim

Hello Jim
Good question
What vintage double.
How vintage? 1880's, 1900's 1950's???
All this would help us answer your question
Mike

Assuming the gun has been evaluated by a doublegun specialist smith:

How much can one shoot a vintage double? Depends if it is a lightweight 3 Ton proved British game gun, or a heavy 12b 3 1/2 Ton proved Waterfowl gun.
What is most prone to break? The wood at the head of the stock, or possibly the wrist.
The loads used would be under 8000 psi. Recoil is as important as pressure Vern. For what load was the gun proved, and when?

Scroll down toward the bottom here for some thoughts
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZIo0y746UsSRZIgRuuxwAbZjSBHitO_EanvwLYc-kGA/edit

The short answer is 'until something does break'.

I'm not meaning to be a smartass with that comment, but nobody can predict the service life of any machine. There are just too many variables.

There are steps you can take, like preventive maintenance and operation within the design parameters that will extend the service life.

Minor problems need to be addressed before they become big problems, clean fresh lube on wear points, conservative loads, and closing with a 'snap' and not a 'TWANG' and the gun will likely outlast you.

Fortunately, we have craftsmen who can fix and repair just about anything so rather than fret just shoot the thing and enjoy it.

1900's action sleeved and proved to 3 tons 1 1/8 oz in the '50's. Six pound 12 bore York House, London Boxlock. Everything is tight and looks good. 3/4 or 7/8 oz loads for skeet and 1 oz loads for birds. I purchased the gun from Hill Rod and Gun quite a few years ago and shot less than a box or two of 1 oz loads at 7200 psi. I would like to start shooting a couple of rounds of skeet a week and wondered how the gun would hold up to 4-5 hundred rounds per year.

If it's in good condition, the gun will outlast you. Fiocchi Training Loads at 7/8oz of 8s, 6600psi, make a great factory skeet load if you don't want to roll your own.

And all hail the return of Doc Drew!

It seems like you would hardly miss it. Treat it well, and use it the way you think it is meant to be used. If it goes down, it seems like you have back up.

Vern,
I can attest to the longevity of my early style Fox A grade with 28 inch IC and Full barrels, SN 7983, probably made around 1907 +/-. I've owned the gun a little over 48 years.
Back when lead was OK for waterfowl, I shot many rounds of 2 3/4 inch magnums at ducks and geese.
And in the last 5 or 6 years, based on my empty primer boxes, I've put about 6000 rounds thru it. About 90% of those have been low pressure 1/2 and 3/4 ounce hand loads in a 2 3/4 inch hull.
Everything is still tight, no evidence of wear or splits or cracks and still closes like a bank vault.
A real classic.
Just my experience.

Jolly

I have a Joseph Lang non-rebounding hammer gun with Damascus replacement barrels by James Woodward. The gun was completed March 6, 1866 and I have no clue how much it was shot before I bought it. I've shot about 6,000 7/8 ounce loads at 1050 fps, both RST and my reloads, through this gun since I bought it. I've not had a single mechanical issue with it and when I do my job clays break and quail die. Too bad it does it's part much better than I do mine.

I've been shooting a 1901 Parker with what appears to be (from Drew's excellent site) 4 iron Turkish.

The gun has an unknown history but clearly has had some partial restoration work.

I weighed the powder can just now, and I've loaded and fired 1,600 appropriate loads in the last 3 years.

The gun looks, closes and fires exactly as when I first bought it.

I expect it will do so for many years to come.

It's 115. Incredible.