doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Safe to lengthen Chamber of 2 1/2" English SXS

Dig - keep in mind that chamber length is not the definer of loads due to differences in standards between CIP and SAAMI. As stated, a 2 3/4" chamber does not make a gun proofed at 2 3/4" chamber, 1 1/4oz shot, and 3 1/4 tons suitable for 11,500 psi SAAMI spec shells.

Longer hulls perform satisfactorily if, IF, the service pressure the gun was design for is respected in the loads. CAUTION - guns with matching chamber length and shell length may not perform satisfactorily if the service pressure the gun was designed for is less than the pressure of the loads used.

HOS - yes, it is possible that an individual gun may prove satisfactory for higher service pressure than stated on its proof stamp. However, why take a chance of knocking it off face when there is an abundance of modern guns known to be suitable for modern high pressure ammo? Especially, why risk an expensive and historical gun? Even as an engineer with a background in design and strength of materials, I would not make "eyeball" estimates of action strength. The performance of low pressure loads is entirely satisfactory and they are easy and economical to obtain or reload.

The generally handmade guns from the UK (the vast bulk being made before 1960) are a finite resource. They will someday be used up and there will be very few more. As this generations custodians, we have a duty to following generations to use them carefully. My gun safe is not a museum; it is a rack of working guns. However, each will be carefully fed and cared for. In so doing, "someday" will be kept far in the future.

My hat is off to Dig for some of the orphands he has rescued and returned to service. I firmly believe that "returned to service" is the difference between a dubious decoration that soon goes to the scrap heap and a working artifact left to the care of future generations.

One thing I have noted is that for a long number of years guns made "Specifically" to be marketed by US firms were normally given the standard proof from their country of origon. People who bought these guns were not advised to not shoot US shells in them, thus they were generrally fed a steady diet of SAAMI spec shells. Perehaps the makers felt their guns were up to the task & as we had no proof laws felt no need to go for "Special" proof. Perhaps this is why some makers guns got reputations of "Being soft". It is though I believe a fact that many guns targeted the US market without being specifically proofed for US shells. I don't know the exact date this situation chaged, but believe for some number of years now guns aimed for the US market have carried heavier proofs.

Dig, true enough, this happens. But I have seen more than a few that were butchered prior to arrival on our steamy shores. Makes me want to weep to see a fine old gun rendered useless by a few minutes of 'improvement' with a barrel hone or reamer. Another peeve is sleeving perfectly good Damascus barreled guns...

It seems that are at least a few providers in the UK who pick up any gun they can find, monkey with the mechanicals, slap a coat of finish on the stock and ship it off to us Yanks. Keeps our better smiths in business, tho', so I am grateful for that facet of the practice.

C Man