doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Baited Breath, Waiting for "Digs" Up-Date.

Salopian,To this "Point" I've had No problems with either of the Proof houses "Damaging Guns Sent to them for Proofing. My 1st gun sent by The Late Alf Gritt of Chaplins Gunmakers, Winchester,Eng.(1966) had New Brummie Bbls.Best Quality Workmanship, made and fitted so that the "Minty Orig Damascus" could still be used.The Newtubes" @ 2.3/4"X 1.1/4oz were 90%x90% at 35yds.Great Boxed Pigeon & Doves in Mexico Chokes. I chose not to put the Damascus through "Nitro" as Alf Gritt said to stay with 2.1/2"-1.1/8th oz...I've used them mostly with "Black" at"Old Gun Shoots"Have Photo of"El President'e"(Eddy Reincarnate the VII) Ray Poudre shooting '5 Stand at Geoff Gaebe's Grounds!... Years ago, I loaned a "Sport" the W.W.Greener which I had "Cased with both pairs of Bbls.I was not aware that "Said sport",When shooting at ducks in Minn.was putting 1.3/8ozNitro #4 shot through the orig. damas. Bbls.I wonder how close to a London Proof Load he tested my Old Greener for????Had my Old Friend Alf Gallifent check them very carefully after he raised a small dent that appeared when "Photog T.Allan was shooting 2000 pics for one of his projects here at the museum of P/Mess. I have a Clients Dickson R/Action with "New Barrels By The Sleeving Method" going to London for Proofing....errrr maybe!!!cc/dt

David, since Birmingham makes the proof loads for London, maybe.........

David, (C/C),
Perhaps through your learned counsel you could educate the colonial rednecks to realise that the only value in London Proof marks is pure snobbery.
Cousins, what do you prefer, barrels returned from Birmingham ready to shoot, or barrels returned from London ready to melt down? Perhaps.
I believe this thread has now gone far enough.I will try to refrain from further comment in case I stray into slanderous or libelous ground.
Skilled gunsmiths will always advise wether a gun stands a good chance of passing proof.
The rules of Proof 2006 are quite clear.
Could I perhaps suggest that the guns that have failed proof SHOULD have failed proof?

"Cousins."
Big brother would be more like it!

Salopian, I've rec. email," Did the Purdeys Blow-Up on the FIRST PROOF LOAD or the SECOND???If the gun blew on the First load, why would they shoot it the 2nd time????Errrrrrr. As you said, This really has"Threaded Out". Back to my Workbench!!!cc/dt

Lets not forget that the purpose of the proof test is to protect the end user from catastrophic failure!
In my opinion the London Proof house is wise to withhold comment on the alleged barrel failures until such time as the root cause of failure is established. Based on the comments by the Birmingham Proof House the problem reported appears to be an isolated issue at the London location. As a matter of interest I am listing below the factors that are likely being investigated both by the London Proof House and the barrel manufacturer.
1. Was the pressure generated by the proof charge correct?
2. Was the barrel material made to specification and was it
free from defects.?
ie: Was the tensile strength, chemistry and microstructure
OK; was there any evidence of subsurface voids or
inclusions in the failed barrels?
3. Were the dimensions of the barrels [ie; bore,chamber,forcing
cone and wall thicknesses made to specifications?]
4 Was there any evidence to show that incorrect brazing
proceedure contributed to failure?
5. Was there any evidence of longtitudinal scratches in the
barrels caused by tool withdrawl marks?[ Ie; a stress raiser]
6. Was the correct test proceedure followed?
7. Was the gun properly prepared for test?

REMARKS..
It is my understanding that the proof house uses [or used]
a pressure barrel utilizing the metal crusher method to audit
proof load pressure.
Did the use of double proof tests play any part in the
failures reported?
The Birmingham Proof house is to be congratulated for their
frank comments on this issue.
I am sure all involved, users and industry will look forward
to a report identifying the cause[s] of failure from the
London Proof House.

Roy Hebbes, please email me.

Please contact me at: Hebbes19@sympatico.ca

Courtesy of dt/cc

Dig, has the London Proof House released an update on the reported abnormal barrel failures?