As many of you will know, I reproof most of my stock guns before sale, 'whether they need it or not'! Actually, not quite true as the tightening of the proof tests in recent years has made it a rather risky business with rivelled and bulged barrels left, right and centre.
And that is the point: I have become accustomed to barrel failures but this week I got a Blanch back from the proof house with a significantly higher level of failure!
The picture below shows the action bar has totally failed in the thin region below the hinge pin and in all honesty, not even the miracle workers I know can fix this one!
Some in non-proof countries will say that this only goes to show how terrible and destructive the proof test is.
For myself, yes, I am well out of pocket on this gun but then that is why I reproof most of my stock guns: I really don't want to be responsible for any unseen flaw in barrels and action even if the gun could have been sold without reproof.
So I will continue to reproof most of my stock guns and hope that this sort of almost total loss doesn't happen again too soon.
Oh, and by the way, if anybody want an elegant 1880's paperweight for their desk I would be happy to sell it to them...!
