I'm trying to decide whether to keep a percussion double I recently purchased. I love it, it's one of England's top 5 makers, yet the left(Damascus) barrel has 3 pits about 3 inches from the breech. Although none of the other Damascus barreled percussion weapons I own have any pits of consequence, most have none and those that do just a spatter near the muzzle.
Of course the location of the pits on this new weapon is of consequence, but only one of the three seems alarming. It is fairly large, like a small chip was dug out of the barrel. I know a photo is called for but unfortunately I can't provide that.
Supposedly the previous owner(s) took the gun out every bird season, but the last season was in 1968. Unfortunately I cannot measure the wall thickness there without removing the breech and that's not going to happen either.
Although, of course, nobody can tell me whether this barrel is safe or not, especially sight unseen, I instead am appealing to owners of muzzleloaders that might have had a similar situation, and what their experience with loads of BP used, etc. was/is.
Thanks for any contributions
