doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Barrel Ding

I'm in the process of acquiring a 20 ga. L.C. Smith. I've hesitated for a while because the left barrel has a small but sharp ding in it. I'm not afraid of shooting it, but I don't like the appearance of it. The rest of the gun is nice, some case color but most has gone to gray, blueing on barrel decent, screws not molested. Price good.
I've read on various posts here about removing the dent, some use hydraulics and others special bore devices. I would like to get some opinions as how or what to do.
I would post some pictures, but the gun is not in my possession. Thanks, David

For a one time dent removal I suggest that you should send it out and pay to have it done. Should be able to have it done for less than $100.00. By the time you either buy a dent remover or make one you will have far more than that into the job. Plus you will have someone who has done many before and get the benefit of his experience. Now if you had four or five dents to do you would have to try it yourself because most smiths charge per dent, not for the entire job.

Your biggest problem is likely to be cosmetic if it's really "sharp." If metal is upset in a gouged manner, that will likely show after repair. On the other hand, it's amazing how much BENT metal can be returned to its proper location, almost invisibly.

Depending on your goals for the gun, if it's gouged it can be re-struck (filed), polished by hand and re-blackened. If just bent, that likely won't be needed.

$60.00 for repair.

Whether your looking for simple shootable condition or aesthetics, you should at least get it removed. Personally, I'd raise the dent, have the outside struck as well as possible, and have them reblacked.
Some may tell you that they can remove a dent, almost invisibly, and perhaps so, but I can't, and have yet to run across one done by others that I couldn't spot some hammer marks. Removal without the hammer generally leads to a bulge. In the case you describe, a good bit of tapping will be in order.
Jim

I'd like to thank everyone so far for their advise. As soon as I acquire said gun I will post pictures and possibly some more advice and or references in getting dent taken out. Thanks, David

JDW,
There've been some good comments and recs, especially Jim's above. He speaks from experience. My experience with sharp dents has shown that some dents will come out with nearly no visible signs of having been there, without re-blueing, but it's really dependent on not only the dent, but the technique used too. Some working of the metal is always detectable to one degree or another. Dents often also displace some metal like a crater in addition to simply bending the metal. Some will be so slight as to not show the cratering and may be removed with soft metal (brass) hammers and may be acceptable visually after removing the dent without refinishing. Some will have enough metal cratered/displaced that it will need a steel hammer to reform (cold forge) the metal back into shape and usually is not acceptable without restriking (file/polish) and refinishing in these cases. You'll have to rely on the 'smith that does the job to recommend the medicine for the dent after he sees it.

Williams Gun Sight in Michigan gets 60$for a dent . I did this the first time, but now hammer dents out myself - too many old dented guns to be paying someone else . Paul