doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Clarke 20 Bore - Failed :(

I apologize for bringing this up again. I think you could salvage some good out of this discouraging turn of events. There have been several threads on here about minimum wall thicknesses. The wall thickness may have been the culprit. I understand the bulge had been repaired but I think we could know more if the wall thickness in the area of the split was 0.120" or 0.050". Since the split is at the end of the chamber I think that could be very informative.

The good being salvaged is of course more knowledge for the gun collectors here.

Best,

Mike

I'm going to get a full proof house report and will share with all.

Good enough for you Mike?

T

I've just spoken to the proof house who said drop it in next week (I'm in Price street again anyway) and they'll get back to me with a full report in ....wait for it....6 months!!!

Jees. Now I'm faced with that and I'm not sure what I'll gain from the report other than it's buggered...or getting new barrels or lining sorted somehow.

Cheers

T

Mate I read this whole thread this morning I feel so bad that this happened, you had put to so much work into it. I echo others comments about you still having your fingers etc... but I hope its not too long until the little Clarke is up and working again, however you choose to do that.

Thanks Roy. But actually I'm putting it down to experience...AND it still gave me more experience with the colour case hardening process and everything else I continue to strive to perfect in my restoring.

Joe made a fair point. Don't risk buying a gun with a bulge in it...ESPECIALLY right next to the forcing cones...further up where there is less pressure is slightly less risky...but none-the-less. I still have my fingers etc...

Cheers

T

Here's one I had a couple of years ago. I bought it with just the right barrel one thou. out of proof. It was made by the Midland Gun Co. but had another's name on the rib. I good sturdy hammer gun, as most Midlands were, so I made the purchase and had it prepared for proof and sent off. The chambers were lengthened to 2 3/4" as the proof load is now the same as for the 2 1/2" chamber. The gun passed and I had it back. I shot maybe 50 rounds through it; nothing heavy, then a friend I knew wanted to buy a hammer gun. I thought this ideal as it had a top lever, recent proof and long chambers. He fired about 40 rounds at clays on two separate occasions again using light loads and then this happened:



The Gunsmith who worked on it was a friend of mine and also one of the Guardians at the Proof House so a report was done a little quicker. Their conclusion was that it had been fired with a slight obstruction such as a piece of wadding which had weakened it with a slight bulge and then it had failed upon a later firing. I had sold the gun at the price that it stood me at and made no profit. The gun was o.k. when I sold it but I believe my friend's account of what had happened. Barrel wall thickness at the site of the split was avout 22 thou.; steel barrels and not damascus. Lagopus.....

Lagopus:
This looks like it possibly split along a seam as there is no raggedness apparent whatsoever??
Jim

How did your friend's hands and body come out of this?

Well, this will give you time to let whatever solution this gun is supposed to have, ripen and reveal itself to you.

Dave: Yep.

Lagopus...bloody hell. Was your mate OK?

T