A comment from someone who makes a living out of relaying ribs is an answer to Stanton. It is from Art Isaacson, of Art's Gunshop..
"There are two kinds of ribs, those that came unstuck and those that will become unstuck".
For me, seeing the rust when ribs are lifted off, is enough to prove that side ribs (and bottom ribs on a SXS) do more harm than good. Top ribs are a pointing aid for many shooter and in any case, they do not create hidden rust traps.
I've pulled damaged top ribs off more than one Fox that are nearing centenary status. No significant rust, certainly not enough to cause any pitting. Not saying all doubleguns are like that. Art may well be right, and I may be wrong .......maybe we just haven't waited long enough, eh? Maybe it'll just take another hundred years or so to prove his prediction.
You make it sound like every double gun with side ribs and bottom ribs are dying of cancer and rusting through to the bores, and we'd be better off not shooting them at all. Meanwhile, the rest of the double gunning world goes about business as usual, shooting these doomed double barrels.
Wonder if Art lumps all doubles with ribs into the same category. Even those with brazed on ribs, I suppose.
The sky is not falling, SL.
