I found a few years ago a very sweet little 410 side by side boxlock ne by WJ Jeffery. It was obviously built as a best gun with very high quality wood, extensive engraving, silver oval etc. and it has a 15 inch stock with 27inch barrels and weights 4lbs 6 oz.
Sadly at some point in its life it was not looked after - the hand of the stock has been broken, but expertly repaired with pins hidden under an inlaid oval, hidden by the checkering, with it totally off the face, and the bores pretty pitted. When I got it the woodwork was about black wit age old grime. Friend who is a gun dealer had taken it in as consignment of guns as part of an estate and passed it to me on the understandig that I would bring some sort of order.
Woodwork I have cleaned up, risen most of the dents and scratches out of and have applied a new oil finish. It still has a small chip out of one side, but thats part of its charachter. The action I have cleaned up - soft cloth with lighter fluid and time to remove grime. In terms of the barrels and jointing, I sent it away to a London trained barrel smith. He has rejointed the action so it is now tight and measured up the barrels. Whilst there is plenty of thickness there and safe to shoot, they are somewhat pitted and he fears to lap them out would take out too much metal to get pristine bores.
So have been shooting it - little 2 inch cartridges on clays and 2 1/2 inch cartridges in the field. Am amazed at a 410 can do. I am regularly connecting with tall clays off the top of a tower - OK a bit more difficult than with a 12, but my average is well over 50%. In the field I have shot a few pigeons and phaesants and if I connect they crumple. It is becoming my gun of choice for walked up rough shooting - But fully appreciate 410's have their limitations.
Toying with the idea of having the barrels sleeved - on the plus side it would give me nice smooth pristine bores that look pretty and are easily cleaned, but on the negative, it would become unoriginal and unless done properly would uspet the balance etc. Would I be better keeping it as it is and enjoying it, but use the funds instead to find a better 28 bore that would be a bit more versitile?
