doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com How much is too much pitting?

Casey, agreed.

Rockdoc, with a proof in its records I wouldn't be too nervous about it. Proofing makes sense to me. It is an investment and a prediction of the future. It might not be absolute, but it seems to be the best way to predict the behaviour of the barrel other than the test of time. Probably, next best thing is to have an experienced gunsmith tell the pits.

I am trying to post pics of the barrels pitting.

[img]http://www.flickr.com/photos/22096451@N05/2222558970/[/img]
[img]http://www.flickr.com/photos/22096451@N05/2222558974/in/photostream/[/img]
[img]http://www.flickr.com/photos/22096451@N05/2222558978/in/photostream/[/img]

"How much is too much pitting?"

If you can release two small roaches into you barrel and they don't come out the other end...that is too much pitting.

Can you see them? Not the roaches.

I can see the external pitting on the barrels (not the internal)..and the nasty rusted sliding breech.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/22096451@N05/2214058642/in/photostream/
Before I spent any money on this project...I'd ask myself what am I going to have 'X' amount of dollars later ? In two decades will it be worth the investment ?

Save yourself...look for another gun.

No, no, jOe,

Don't get dissapointed by what you see, for it is only a thick layer of grease and just a powder of rust.
This is the "project", to bring back to life the beautiful metal. It must have some more years to show off before hanging it on the wall. She shall accompany me in the search for the elusive king of the woods and shine. She shall not be shy at walking the patches of thick bushes and crossing the fast creeks with a jump. She could rest on the grass and not mind a scratch or two on her butt.
The price for this endeavour is not important as long as it buys me the satisfaction of reviving this old survivor and does not overcome the value of her entire package.

There is nothing you or I can do can to reverse the neglect that gun has suffered. There are lots of guns out there just like that one in alot better condition that can be bought for a whole lot less than you are going to invest trying to save that one...some guns are better left to die.

Sliver
The pitting on my .410 is far deeper then what I see in your picture, and like I said .410's commonly generate much greater chamber pressures then the larger gauges (comes from pushing a long shot column down a narrow barrel). I don't know about jOe but I get a real kick out of putting some crusty old sxs back to work. My oldest gun is a 9 gauge Manton built around 1850, it was really satisfying dropping a pheasant with that old gun. BTW it doesn't cost too much to freshen up a gun (not restore, just clean up and make it look presentable). Restorations can cost big $$$'s, but if your going to use the gun as a shooter why go to the expense, just freshen it up and have fun with it.
For me freshening up means:
1. If needed, soak the stock in acetone, repair any cracks (and there's many ways to conceal crack repairs).
2. Remove surface rust from the frame and barrels with 0000 steel wool and oil, leaving the age patina mostly in place.
3. Degrease and rub down the barrels with cold blue, sometimes 2-3 times to make the barrels look better (the cold blue makes the brown rust deep in the microscopic pits (from rust the original rust bluing) turn black.
4. refinish the stripped stock with 9-10 coats of Tru-Oil.
5. Clean, usually by soaking the frame in Coleman fuel, then using a spray cleaner (for car brakes) equipped with a long plastic tube to get into tight spots and finally blowing dry with an air hose. After cleaning I lubricate with spray oil, leave it to drip clear of excess oil overnight and put back together (on boxlocks I do not take apart if unnecessary).
Seems like a lot of work, but it isn't and you can take a clunker and make it look and function very nicely for maybe $20 total cost.
Steve
Steve

HJ, Rockdoc,

It's encouraging to know that the 410 can do the job. I have a lot of fun just thinking about the different steps and doing them one at a time. The challenge and the learning is what's attractive and when one gets to use the tool for the job, the satisfaction is great.
Serban

I have recovered several old hammer doubles to excellent shooting condition and used them extensively for targets and hunting. Some I shoot as well as any double or O/U I have. I don't spend much, if any, money of expensive repairs, etc. done by others. I do start with guns that are mostly crudded up, sometimes badly, but that seem to have no major problems with metal or wood. Some of these guns have cleaned up quite well, some not so well. It can be a matter of judgement and taste what guns will come back to life as excellent shooters and which should be "left to die". Suspect that I have spent less on all old hammer doubles I use than some posters spend on a single, fancied up old British gun.

Niklas