doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Would you buy your dream gun if barrels were .019

Let's say you've been looking for several years and finally found your grail gun. All the right options, proofs and dimensions, very good condition, original, original case, etc. but with barrel wall thickness at only .019 and .020... Let's say further that the guns seems to be priced correctly, maybe even well. Would you "pull the trigger"?

If the thin walls are in the upper third of the barrels they are not going to be a problem. However, if they are ever dented or need honing there is not enough thickness to fix them properly. And should you ever decide to move them on they might make a sale more difficult. I would be more interested to know wall thickness in front of the chambers and for the first half of the barrels--that's where pressures can be a problem.

Shall we presume the subject gun to be a 12 gauge?

As you go to smaller gauges the pressure increases and wall thickness becomes a critical issue.

Not an expert in barrels but this is my 2p's worth. *assuming its a 12 bore not needing any work.

.019 and .020 in its self would not be a deal breaker in a gun I simply wanted to own use and enjoy, in fact as you have alluded to it might mean a otherwise unaffordable gun is well priced as long as you shoot appropriate loads and look after it there is no reason why the gun wouldn't last your lifetime and perhaps longer again.

Thin barrels are inherently less strong, ie more prone to dents and should you develop a dent your more like to end up with a worrying thin spot.

Just don't convince yourself its an investment, its an indulgence.

http://www.vintageguns.co.uk/articles/thin-barrels/

I've been collecting Fox doubles for almost 50 years before most practical gauges and instruments were available to the average shooter/collector. Back then and now, I guess most of us would base our buying decision on the condition of the gun, price and need or desire.

I have an early style A grade 12 gauge Fox, SN 7983 that I have owned for a little over 47 years and shot easily several thousand rounds through it. Back when lead could be used for waterfowl, 2 3/4 inch magnums were my choice for ducks and geese. In the last few years tho about the heaviest I shoot out of the old girl is 3/4 ounce.

Your question poses another good question: If you've had a gun or guns that you have shot a lot and measured the barrel wall thickness and found it was around 0.019 inches or a little less, would you quit shooting it?

Yeah, good question.

Jolly

Would sleeving be an option? Or occasionally shooting 12 gauge shells, and having a set of Briley sub gauge tubes for some of the shooting? I don't know if that would make it less attractive to you.

Oh, or reload low pressure loads- one of my favorite 12 gauge loads is straight out of the Hodgdon manual- 1 oz at 1125 fps and 5400 psi. There's one with PB powder that's only 3400 psi according to the manual.. that should be very easy on thin barrels.

I once had a gun which I discovered later had 0.19 barrels. After that i loaded low pressure for it and it performed well, but i just could not get over the thought of the thin tubes. It made me paranoid, and i got rid of it.

No.

SRH

No. Just no room for anymore barrel work. If dented the dent will be very difficult to raise without more metal being removed. Heck just polishing for bluing might cost you a thousand or two. If .019 worries you now how does .018 or .017 sound?

On top of that I just don't think barrel wall thickness measurements are precise to .001. What if the measurements is off by .001, .002 or even .003? Have you measured them yourself and know for a certain fact they are as stated? I take my measurement system's results with a grain of salt. So I would pass. Better to pay more for a gun with more life left in it.

Yes, it is a 12 gauge.