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Mar 28th, 2026
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Joined: Jan 2006
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Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2006
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We've all had the opportunity here to express our opinions regarding honing pitted barrels, and I am of the pro-honing school (when safe wall thickness allows) naively assuming there must be a reason new guns come with shiney bores, and that the Birmingham Proof House must have some rationale for requiring honing of pitted barrels before re-proof. I was recently given a 1913 Sterlingworth with several linear areas mid-barrel of what seemed to be superficial furrows, a crescent moon deeper pit about 1/3 of the bore 6" from the muzzle, and marked roughness of the choke area. I have a digital bore camera but could not obtain decent images. The chamber was still 2 5/8" and bore .724. SO off to Briley with instructions to hone the barrels to .729 and open the chokes slightly. Briley was able to completely remove any trace of pitting by honing to .727 - that is only .0015".Take home message for me (and I could still be confused) 1. Despite looking down lots of barrels, I'm not at all good at estimating depth of pits, and even with a bore camera. 2. Very little metal may need to be removed for a 'mirror' bore. 3. It is certainly possible that I've accomplished nothing but feeding into my OCD  and that the barrels will be easier to keep clean.
Last edited by Drew Hause; 03/06/13 02:01 PM.
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 5,205 Likes: 79
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 5,205 Likes: 79 |
Drew,
I'm curious if you know what the original wall thickness was? Not that .0015" will make any difference....
My problem lies in reconciling my gross habits with my net income.
- Errol Flynn
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 9,903 Likes: 526
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 9,903 Likes: 526 |
I have not invested in a wall thickness apparatus, and from the looks of those available I don't have the mechanical appitude to make it reliably work  but clearly at .724 it was the original bore.
Last edited by Drew Hause; 03/06/13 06:47 PM.
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Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 14,600 Likes: 333
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 14,600 Likes: 333 |
Drew, who did your honing?
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 9,903 Likes: 526
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 9,903 Likes: 526 |
Briley, and in less than a week
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Joined: May 2008
Posts: 8,158 Likes: 114
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 8,158 Likes: 114 |
We've all had the opportunity here to express our opinions regarding honing pitted barrels, and I am of the pro-honing school (when safe wall thickness allows) naively assuming there must be a reason new guns come with shiney bores, and that the Birmingham Proof House must have some rationale for requiring honing of pitted barrels before re-proof. I was recently given a 1913 Sterlingworth with several linear areas mid-barrel of what seemed to be superficial furrows, a crescent moon deeper pit about 1/3 of the bore 6" from the muzzle, and marked roughness of the choke area. I have a digital bore camera but could not obtain decent images. The chamber was still 2 5/8" and bore .724. SO off to Briley with instructions to hone the barrels to .729 and open the chokes slightly. Briley was able to completely remove any trace of pitting by honing to .727 - that is only .0015".Take home message for me (and I could still be confused) 1. Despite looking down lots of barrels, I'm not at all good at estimating depth of pits, and even with a bore camera. 2. Very little metal may need to be removed for a 'mirror' bore. 3. It is certainly possible that I've accomplished nothing but feeding into my OCD and that the barrels will be easier to keep clean. Hey there Drewbie-- with a strong machine shop background, I am somewhat familiar with most of all the gauges and fixtures used for barrel work- but an OCD gauge is a new one for me. Care to elucidate a tad bit more- maybe some good close photos as well? Muchas Gracias- El Zorro
Last edited by Run With The Fox; 03/06/13 08:06 PM.
"The field is the touchstone of the man"..
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Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 14,375 Likes: 2152 |
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Francis. It was a joke.
SRH
May God bless America and those who defend her.
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Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 87
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2012
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I have a 20 ga. that has some very minor pitting and roughness. It patterns both barrels to the same point of impact, and also to the point where I aim. While I would like a perfectly smooth bore, it is a concern that honing might change either or both of these. Right now I'm leaning toward "If it ain't broke don't fix it" Anyone had honing change the performance of their gun for the worse? Or does it usually not change?
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 9,903 Likes: 526
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 9,903 Likes: 526 |
Beagle: honing and choke work usually go together, and I've had two guns with the POI altered after opening the chokes; one shot a full pattern low and left after a local smith opened the left barrel from .040 to .020 Briley was able to correct the problem (on the pattern board) but I never had confidence in the gun again and sold it. Bottom line: have an expert do the work.
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Joined: May 2008
Posts: 8,158 Likes: 114
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 8,158 Likes: 114 |
Beagle: honing and choke work usually go together, and I've had two guns with the POI altered after opening the chokes; one shot a full pattern low and left after a local smith opened the left barrel from .040 to .020 Briley was able to correct the problem (on the pattern board) but I never had confidence in the gun again and sold it. Bottom line: have an expert do the work. Well bless my stars, here we go with another Akron-hymn-- What does Hawaiian wallpaper paste- aka- POI- have to do with barrel honing- and as a stout Irish Catholic Lad, for the by as the 17th O'St. Patty's is a loomin' , how does indeed one o Fr. Michael's Sunday Mass Homilies tie in here-- a prayer for the NBD (nominal bore dia.) of the pipes in St. Patrick's of Parnell blessed Wurlitzer-??
"The field is the touchstone of the man"..
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Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 10,361 Likes: 159 |
god created whiskey to keep the irish from ruling the world.
keep it simple and keep it safe...
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Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 11,986 Likes: 821
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 11,986 Likes: 821 |
A couple weeks ago, I bought an E grade Parker 10 guage Damascus that the seller described as having pitted bores. Upon receipt, they did look fairly ugly, but the guy had not even taken the time to clean them at all. After a few minutes of scrubbing with a bronze brush and swabs, there was consideral improvement. The worst area of pitting is several inches ahead of the forearm, and I'd guess they are no more than .001-.002" deep at the very worst part. The rest is mostly shiny with a bit of frosting ahead of the chambers. It's hard to find perfection after 122 years. To me, this was far preferable to recieving a gun with obviously polished bores that had who knows how much honed out. At a svelte 9 lbs. 13 oz., there is very sufficient wall thickness. It'll be a shooter.
Voting for anti-gun Democrats is dumber than giving treats to a dog that shits on a Persian Rug
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Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 2,078 Likes: 79
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 2,078 Likes: 79 |
Dr Drew, when giving briley the instructions did they use their judgement and stop at 0.727 instead of 0.729?
Will they do only the first 6-8 inches of the barrel if requested?
I have a 16 with some pitting forward of the forcing cone, but the barrels near the muzzle are not thick and I don't want to risk polishing them down as they do not need it.
Michael Dittamo
Topeka, KS
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 9,903 Likes: 526
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 9,903 Likes: 526 |
"did they use their judgement and stop at 0.727 instead of 0.729?" Yes, and I'm glad they did Mike Guigliano is Manager of the Gunsmith Division.
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Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 2,078 Likes: 79
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 2,078 Likes: 79 |
Michael Dittamo
Topeka, KS
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