Problem with leaving large pits in a gun is that the rust never sleeps. It can worsen and the only way to stop it dead is to remove it. Gil
Well I said I wasn't going to get into the pros and cons of leaving pits but like public figures I am known to lie rather routinely so I'll put in my tu'pence here.
From a chemical perspective that is absolutely correct and I think the primary driver in keeping barrels smooth; it's certainly mine having done some limited doctoral level research that included consideration of behaviour of various forms of iron compounds. I also suspect that there's a physical argument to be made. Much like the weakest link in the chain the reality is that the barrels are already that thin at the pit so careful honing isn't going to make them much weaker from the perspective of a failure point. I am not a structural engineer or pipe integrity specialist but from my limited knowledge of fluid/gas dynamics I think there may be a possibility of pits allowing for a localized pressure hammer effect as well. I'd love to see input from a qualified specialist on that rather than potentially erroneous speculation like mine. I suspect that these are the reasons behind the proof house requirements for smooth barrels.
Jeremy
