doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Bad day but could be worse / minimum barrel thick

I just received a set of graded 20ga LC Smith barrels back from Skeets in Oklahoma. I excitedly looked down the barrels and was disappointed to see that nothing had been done. Inside I found a note stating that honing out the barrels would leave too little barrel wall thickness. BUMMER!

So what are my options? I spoke with Tom at Briley. He said they could custom fit a pair of 28ga tubes for @$650. According to Tom, the added weight would be @ 10 oz, leaving the gun at (current weight of 5lbs 9.2oz + 10oz = @ 6lb 3.2oz I don't think that's too much added weight and at least I could shoot and enjoy the gun.

Any other options one of you has chosen without too much regret? I think the gun being a 20ga is the important point to keep in mind.

What, exactly, is the wall thickness at the end of the chambers, in the forcing cones, 9" from the breech, 9" from the muzzle, and WHERE is the minimum wall thickness? Was it to be honed because of what appear to be deep pits?
I am of the opinion that if deep pits are present and the wall thickness is already less than .020" custom subgauge inserts are the only (reasonably priced) option, and .018-.020" without pits past about 20" from the breech, when using 7/8 oz. 2 1/4 Dr. Eq. loads, is acceptable. And I could be wrong.

dawg: did skeets give you any numbers, like what is mbw thickness in front of chambers and say 8" down from the muzzles? if so, what are they? maybe, if the gun is safe as is, you should just shoot it and enjoy?

Drew,
The worst of the pitting is in front of the chamber. i haven't measured the distance from the breech, but definitely within 9". I wish the damage were further down the barrel, but it is what it is.

Is Briley my best option for custom inserts? It would be nice if I could find something less than full length, but longer than the forcing cones, in order to reduce the added weight, but I don't know if that is feasible.

Briley's short "Side-Kick" inserts are only for 12g
http://www.briley.com/side-kickchambertubesets.aspx
but they might make a short custom insert.
My experience, though limited, is that powder residue builds up creating a ring of hard crud in the barrel just past the end of the tube.
We'd be able to provide better advice with hard numbers. The pits just past the cones are of course a greater concern.

I have many guns with tube sets and they work wonderfully.
You will enjoy your graded 20 gauge Smith as a working 28 gauge gun rather than having it sit in the safe as a non-gun.
Please let me know as to your progress.



Mike

good reading
http://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=380288#Post380288

I believe gauge mate also make 10" inserts.

Or you could sell it, put the $650 that you would put into a tube set with it, and buy you a nicer condition gun that you could enjoy as is. That would be my course of action.

SRH

but stan, who would buy it knowing of the defect?

shame on you for suggesting such a thing...

Just like you to think like that, Ed. If I sold it the defect would be pointed out to any potential buyer.

You are really a trip.

SRH