doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Valuing and selling barrel sets.

Other dimensions that need to be addressed:

Some Makers may have consistant measurements on firing pin center-to-center and width at breachface. Ithaca doubles run all over the place, so these dimensions are needed to determine if they will fit the frame of subject gun.

John

I am interested in the pricing of "extra" barrels. I think that with a new gun an extra set of barrels is often thirty per-cent (or more) of the price of the gun.

Some time ago I posted a message on the forum asking about the availability of a 5E NID receiver and iron to go with a set of VR barrels that are currently fit to my 4E. I found that such a search was a fools errand and someone suggested that they would be interested in the barrels for say $300. I thought wow barrels must not be very valuable. So my question is: if barrels are say $300 on the used market why are they so much more expensive on the new market? Modern guns, like Perazzi with extra barrels do not seem to suffer such a large discount.

jerry born

One of the main reasons for a medical malpractice claim is "Failure to Diagnose".

"WNL" is an accepted medical abbreviation for "Within Normal Limits", but sadly usually means "We Never Looked".

"We never looked" (or measured) doesn't cut it in 2017, esp. when wall thickness and bore gauges are $120. Personal injury attorneys are unlikely to spend the time and effort to develop a claim against a small time dealer with few assets however.

My only goal here is to get dealers to do a better job of "looking" before selling.

Maybe this will help.

Hunter Arms would factory fit additional/new barrels to Smith guns for 1/2 of the MRSP.

Figure out (based on the condition of the barrels) the selling price of the whole (same grade/quality) gun and ask 25% of that.
Watching Smith barrels on e-bay, 12g 00 Armor steel extractor barrels, which would be fit to a $500-700 gun in similar condition, are SOLD (not offered) for $150-$200.

It is in the fitting. If they would interchange, and just drop in, the used set would have more value. Trouble is they almost never do. Then the fitting starts. If the forend is not with the replacement barrels then the forend lug needs be fitted or moved also. Then refinish work.

John

I have bought dozens of barrels over the years. Most were at gun shows for 100-200. I also have fit maybe 15-20 to my own guns. The amount of work involved varies from a hour of tedious minor fitting to you just can't get there from here. Most times even very close serial numbered guns are not likely to be close in fitting. Fitting barrels cost what they do because it's worth it just like a good divorce.

I found that just by taking multiple measurements I could weed out the worst barrels from the start. Doll head extensions are a pain in the zss to fit and make a nice looking job. Then you get into early or late barrel versions. Just because they were made by the same maker does not mean they are really the same barrels. I love Lefevers but they seem to have 79 different barrel combinations. I guess each barrel was struck to the action so no two are alike.

Anytime you hear a seller tell you fitting barrels is a half hour job ask to see what his half hour job looks like. I saw one that they had filled the gaps with JBWeld. That was a nasty looking half hour job. So if you want an extra set of barrels fit to your gun send both to a decent gunsmith and let him evaluate them. After all he's the one going to be trying to make that square peg fit into that round hole.

Ran the worst set of barrels through electrolysis today.

Parker barrels that I couldn't make out the s/n. Now clean enough that the s/n appears to be 49072.

Some black and white color remains, but the barrels are 'etched' along their entire length, inside and out.

What is interesting is how light they are.
30" with a 3/10 barrel weight mark.
Current weight on my postal scale is 3lb 1oz
I thought they were 16ga but they are 12s.

EDIT: These are twist barrels.

Anyone remember the serial number range of the Parker lifters that had American made barrels?

John Davis suggested 1877-1879 with SNs 10,000 - 16,000

The Sportsman's Gazetteer, 1878
http://books.google.com/books?id=bowCAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA680&dq
PARKER GUNS.�From the day when the Parker gun won the First Premium at the Centennial Exhibition until now, it has held its pre-eminence among American guns. The arm is simple, durable, and effective. All have Rebounding Locks and Interchangeable Parts. Twist barrels $50 to $75. Damascus $75 to $300.
This is the only firm which manufactures their own barrels.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/12y9006Ur7mMCqdeeye89c7L4DQrc2iXR8p4S6OIN1bA/edit

Drew,

Finding your name on a couple of websites as I figure out what Fulton made barrels I have.

So far I have cleaned:
1) Pre-1893 Elsie w/ 'roller' extractor. (Grade 3 I believe.) Damascus
2) Elsie FW w/ London Steel barrels
3) Hunter Arms Co. Elsie (00 Grade) w/ Armor Steel barrels (20ga)
4) Hunter Arms 'Hunter Special' w/ USA-F Barrels (20ga)