doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com How tight is tight?

Hey all, I just picked up another double. This time The A.J. Aubrey made by Meridan. Neat (although not so little) gun.

Anyhow, it just arrived and there is the slightest bit of movement between barrels and receiver with the gun closed. I have not tried, but I imagine the resulting gap is too small for a standard piece of paper... yet.... there is movement.

So, whats the answer? How tight it tight? How loose is loose? When do you worry about it and how difficult is the fix?

Thanks,
Shane

Just past the 20 year 'Binding Guarantee'



Any 100 year old gun needs to be evaluated by a double gun specialist smith Shane. Take it over to Champlin Arms in Enid and let them decide.

More Aubrey infro
http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/17474742

I had intended on taking it to them indeed. And had even contemplated restoring the finishes on the metal which are all but gone. But I won't be able to get it to them before the three day evaluation period is up.

How fast are they able to look at things? I have never been over there, but have sent people there way and have chatted with them here at the show in April and Nov. Is it a shop where if I drove it over I could stop in and get a short answer? Or a shop where it goes in a gun rack for a week.

Also... how in the world do I get the smoke smell off of it? Ha! Blech.... Smells like a dive bar with no vents. I assume a good cleaning and maybe some time on the back porch will air it out. It's done well with camera gear I have bought in the past.

I use lemon pledge
Give it a try
Spray a soft rag
Wipe the gun down
Mike

See "Mechanical Evaluation"
http://www.champlinarms.com/Default.aspx?tabid=28

Done right...and done in a week...are words that do not go together in the alternate dimension of gunsmith space and time Shane. Then again our fingers and eyes are usually needed for something important.

Clean up ideas
http://www.lcsmith.org/faq/cleangun2.html

Drew, of course I don't need the work done in a week, that would be absurd now wouldn't it... But a quick inspection on the issue of the rejoining is what I would be looking for. I have dealt with smiths who are able to do that and those who aren't. But in a world of internet/interstate gun sales and 3-7 day inspection periods. It seems a reasonable thing to ask.

If you can't get a piece of paper into the gap, it is no big deal.

As for restoring it... In all honesty, unless this Meriden is a 20ga with ejectors and custom engraving, forget it. The run of the mill Aubrey / Meriden is simply not worth the money. You would be better off waiting for a high condition gun to come along.

Pete

Hey Pete, that was my guesstimation. After giving it a try here in the office, with the forearm off, a sheet of 20# paper fits very tightly in the gap. That would make it about .004". My Fox that I shoot often has the slightest bit of movement, but you can't really tell what it is that's moving, only that it's not rock solid. This one is more pronounced and shaken vigorously does rattle a bit. The barrels seem solid and ring clear. If I keep it it will certainly be evaluated further.

Also, I use the term "restore" in pretty lose terms. I would like to see about having the metal refinished and doing the wood myself. Modest at the outside. I think I could even (taking my time and practicing on scrap knife steel from a friend) redo the barrels. But it's all a distant thought. I bought the gun for $450. So I'm not in it terribly deep at this point. Plus with the 32" barrels about the only thing I would do with it would be to shoot trap or possibly take it turkey hunting. Neither of which I do often.

Shane

It is most likely choked fuller and full. Measure the choke, perhaps pattern it. For a turkey gun, it will do fine.

Just wanted to make sure you were not digging a hole, but it sounds like you have thought it through.

Pete

Oh indeed, it's a gun that I bought beyond all reasonable use. I mean to say I mostly hunt quail and woodcock, so a 32" 12ga has little use. The chokes are indeed full and fuller measuring .685 and .690. I wonder about the turkey killing power of a load of #6s from a Polywad vintager, but I suppose there is only one way to find out!

It will look nice on the wall if nothing else and I've wanted to try my hand at re-etching damascus. It sounds as though with some patience that could be possible. I had originally thought about having the receiver CCH redone, but the more I see them, the more I think they look a little strange on an old gun, so it will likely stay in the white as it is now. The wood is in fine shape, but could use a new coat of finish... or not.