It is absolutely not the same choice as shooting damascus guns or not shooting them. A damascus barreled gun proofed for use with 70mm loads is as safe as a steel barrel proofed for the same - it has been 'prooved' to be so. Shooting an out of proof steel gun or an out of proof damascus gun is equaliiy stupid and risky.

This is especially true of old British guns, that were constructed carefully to certain dimensions and tolearances according to the job they were required to do.

Anybody putting 70mm ammunition in a 2 1/2" proof stamped shotgun is a fool in my opinion. Anybody advising others that it is a safe practice is irresponsible to put it mildly.

Some people feel comfortable doing 100mph on an old motorbike without a helmet - that doesn't make it safe or sensible!

British guns are proofed to withstand regular use with the ammunition designed for use in them (that is the point of the various proof options; otherwise everything would have been built to weigh 8lbs, given a 3" chamber and 4 tons per square inch proof).

Why is it so difficult to understand that if you use the wrong ammo, it will eventually damage the gun and is potentially dangerous?

Perhaps it is dumb thinking like this that has led Beretta et al to put 3" magnum steel shot proofed barrels on even their light 20-bores today - because the shooting public can no longer be bothered to follow the simple instructions given about selecting the correct load for their guns.

If you are going to shoot old shotguns, understand what they were built for and load them with the right ammo. I can see no excuse for putting a 70mm shell in a 2 1/2" chamberd gun.








Last edited by Small Bore; 04/06/07 05:02 AM.
www.vintageguns.co.uk