Got a barrel listed on ebay (Franchi 48 12 but the gun was marked Revelation; an uncle has one of those he got new at a Western Auto probably 45 years ago at least). It's marked full. Somebody emailed wanting a picture showing how far down the barrel a dime will go. I measured the bore and muzzle, told him the dimensions and that the dime test only proves you got a barrel and you got a dime. Apparently he's got a much different opinion of the value of the dime test than I do.
I got curious and measured the 6 dimes I had handy. they ranged from .702 to .709. My recollection is older Brownings and I think Winchesters, an improved cylinder was only .006 constriction. Depending on what dime one had handy, that test could be off one entire degree of choke. And this doesn't even begin to take into account the actual bore diameter that's being constricted, which one has to know before he knows anything.
And 2 I measured weren't even round. One was out of round by .002".
So, there are still people out there who think that dime test holds water? I'd have thought we were a couple decades past that.
Roger
