doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Disaster struck yesterday

The crack on mine is like the one pictured. I seriously doubt the ammo is at fault. I load thousands of trap and skeet rounds each year and it would be very difficult to double charge a shell. I inspect my loaded rounds while loading and before they go into the gun and never chamber anything that is suspect. These were 1 oz loads at about 1150 fps so not heavy stuff. I will never know for sure what happened. It had never done this before and I had shot it several times over the summer since it was refinished without a problem. When I said recoil was horrendous I probably overstated that somewhat. It was nasty and shook me up as I knew immediately it had double on me and I think I was in a bit of shock for awhile. I'm going to miss that Fox.

I looked at this pic from Ebay and I agree with Ken #2 point.
I know this problem and when I tested mild steel plates for case colors, too thin plates benn cracked just like that and by fingers only. Higher temperature during case coloring and too long process converted this mild steel to very high carcon steel, which is very fragile without the following normalizing.

I had a Fox Sw that doubled. It did it at least a dozen times before I fixed it. I always shot 1 oz loads and never had any stock or reciever problem.
bill

Let me clarify one point. I did not intend to imply that "All" re-case jobs are bad. As several posters here have noted it is done on a regular basis with complete success. It is however important that certain procedures are followed in the process & these can vary with the exact alloy of the steel being treated. I note this was done by "An Experienced Gunsmith" with national recognition. I have no idea what, but feel it likely he made some mistake in his process, which he did not "Catch". I simply do not want to take the risk on any of my irreplacable guns. I can live quite nicely with subdued colors, or even no colors.

The All-American only shooter who can't get the real thing, subjects his guns to all the abuse a smithy can deal out.
A Sterlingworth with more color than 20-30% is trouble.
They weren't made to look like that, after all they've been thru.

If this does in fact seem related to re-case hardening of an action, it makes me glad I asked for the "Faux Case Color" procedure from Ithaca that was generously posted on this board by another member whose name I've forgotten....

Mike Doerner

This gun split when my 13 year old son was dove hunting. Never did figure out why, just assumed he let something get in the barrel in his excitement of a good hunt. Thankfully no injuries.

As Mr. Hurst states, guns are re case colored all the time without problems, at least if done properly. There is a distiction, as many here realize, between re case coloring and in re case hardening. I noticed the phrase the original poster used and wondered if that is really appropriate, not knowing of course who did the work and what methods were employed. I would certainly not condemn all cosmetic re case coloring. I also suspect a problem with the sears being either badly worn or incorrectly assembled, and would also like to know more about the load being used. Are photos of the failure available? It's certainly possible the re case hardening procedure was faulty, but this one will need more examination. The gun should have held a double firing of factory spec loads, that does make one suspect the procedure, but the loads used also need examination.

DeltaBoy; A long bbl split like that looks more like a flaw in the steel, that was drawn into a seam in man'f. Most likely over time it finally decided to let go, for no apparent reason, most likely fatique from use. Bbls burst from an obstruction will most always show a ring bulge. I do not see this on this bbl. Don't blame your son, he most likely was in no way responsible.

DeltaBoy; A long bbl split like that looks more like a flaw in the steel, that was drawn into a seam in man'f. Most likely over time it finally decided to let go, for no apparent reason, most likely fatique from use. Bbls burst from an obstruction will most always show a ring bulge. I do not see this on this bbl. Don't blame your son, he most likely was in no way responsible.