doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Minimal barrel thickness and Boss & Co Guns

Bob, the gun is in the SN range of 1910-15 made, and is around 6 1/2 lbs...this I know!
The barrels were measured at the time of purchase so many years ago.
...but hey! I'm lucky to know it's a 12b. - not a techy as you know.

This all stems from a decent quality sidelock I wanted to buy.
The dealer had the gun's barrels listed at .018".
He advised that he shot the gun, but you'd have to be careful not to ding the thin barrels.

If they are under .025 I'm not interested.

For argument's sake, which area of the barrel are you setting that standard for?

Any where on it.

So, we've now gone from "you can dent them with a fingernail" to "I talked to a guy who once told me that I had to be careful".

When you protest and fret to this degree Eric!
It makes one wonder why someone would be so overly protective about their barrel thickness.

...and why wouldn't I use some info from a well known dealer?
He has no personal attachment to the gun....its business.
No matter who's gun it is, thin is thin - as in thin skin!
See what I mean ol'bean!

With a gun originally made with thin barrels that still measure the same, there is no doubt that they are good for the job. Holland & Holland were re-barreling some guns at 20 thou in the 1980s.

When it comes to an originally thicker-walled gun that has been lapped versus one that has not, it comes down to money.

A 1915 Purdey with barrels that measure 25 thou' as original will cost a lot more than one with walls down to 19 thou' havng been lapped out by six thou'. Can you buy and use the thinner gun with confidence? Yes. Can you afford the thicker gun? No. what are you going to do?

If you want a Purdey and your budget sets you in the thin-wall bracket you buy the thin one or buy a gun by a lesser prestige maker. they key point is safety and durability. Would I be safe using the gun? Yes. If cared for, will it outlast me? Yes.

Would I sling it in the back of the Land Rover and chuck ferret boxes on top and risk denting the 'thin' barrels? No, but I would not do this to a best gun whatever barrel wall thickness was like.

If the gun was originally built thin walled is one thing...dealers selling thin walled guns is another.

I'll agree with Dig on this one. My take is that, as with anything that is 100+ years old, you cannot dictate the history of piece. You have to accept it for what it is and price it accoardingly. I'll gladly buy an out of proof gun if it still safe and the price is right, especially if its a rare gun. I own some very nice guns that, if it was perfect world, would be a little different. Maybe better bores on some, no recoil pad added on another, or that the stock has been refinished. In each case the guns were bought for overall condition, grade and the rarity of the piece. I own on gun that might be unfired. It too was bought under the same criteria. As Dig pointed out, whats a guy to do? I have been shopping for such a gun myself, but keep letting British rifles sidetrack me. In the past 5 years the cost of good guns has gone up considerably. If the gun is what you want, safe and priced right, I see no reason not to buy. Thats just my take on the market.
Steve