doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Loose action Boswell

I have shimmed a few guns with metal strips to put them back on face "temporarily". Nothing too loose, but once slightly loose taking up the slack, prevents more looseness. Well as those repairs go, they last a decent amount of time and if the gun is nothing special they might get done again. Why invest time and money in a gun which is likely to be shot just a box or two of shells over a period of years. I have one gun which had that repair which I doubt I have shot once in 20 years. But it is ready if needed. Shim stock and one of the Locktite compounds works well and is completely reversible for a more proper repair if desired. Much nicer than a punch mark or hammering on the joint.

You don’t even have to use Loc-Tite. Just cut the shim to fit, grease it, and put it in place.

Hardware store guns get fixed with supplies from the hardware store.

Best,
Ted

Many hardware store guns especially of the Belgian variety were off face from the factory while they were being sold new in the rack!

The statement above bothers me because I believe it is inaccurate. In all the years I have read books, magazines, and internet posts on the subject of cheap hardware store guns or old Belgian clunkers, I never once heard they were "off face from the factory...."

Way back before I was really into double guns, I can remember seeing old guys evaluating used models in gunshops. They would check to see if they were loose by shaking or flexing them with the forend on and then off. Then they would often try to close the gun with a dollar bill between the barrels and standing breech. If it would close on the dollar, which they were using as a crude feeler gauge, then it was judged to be loose and in need of repairs.

If guys back then knew enough to avoid a used gun that was off the face, then certainly they would never consider buying one that was loose when factory new. It is more likely that these cheap guns were simply fitted with less care and precision, so there was less contact area on the critical surfaces. Because of that, they would then wear at a faster rate than a gun which was better built.

Mike Rowe makes a valid point. Some light loads do in fact create breech pressure levels that can be excessive for older double guns. My limited research has shown that Winchester AA Xtra-Lite 28g, 2 3/4 dram equiv. target loads produce a moderate breech pressure. Would be nice if ammunition manufacturers could state the pressure levels of their products, especially for users of older double guns.

I have done a couple of Flues guns by soft soldering the shim in place and trimming with an exacto knife. It worked well, looked good and served me well for many years until it was sold.

About 15 years ago I called Winchester and asked about the pressure of these shells. Answer was 8,500 psi.

I had a CSMC M21 that went off face after several years @ sporting clays shooting (bolt adjustment would not compensate) so I attached a .002" mild steel shim to the hook w/ Permatex Sleeve retainer (available @ NAPPA & is used for securing valve guides in aluminum cylinder heads).

I shot it for several more years @ sporting clays w/ the shim in place before I sent it to Dennis Potter to do a proper repair by replacing the joint pin but I could have kept shooting it w/the shim.

I don't see any downside to the shim repair & it is relatively easy to do, reverseable & cost effective on a low end shotgun that doesn't warrant rejointing.

15 years ago, it might have been 8,500. Today, with running changes in components and powder, they will only state that any load is under SAAMI max.

They aren’t wrong.

Best,
Ted