For those of you who followed my maddening post regarding a troubling area a couple inches from the breech, Rockdoc has amicably agreed to help me out and post a photo I took.

If anyone wants to enlarge this photo it has over 7,000 KB's of data.


I used Paint to enlarge this one.

Looks like a TIG welddauber to me

Yikes.......2" from the breech. Good luck.

X 2. The pics make it look like one should be quite cautious because of their location.

Hmmm, it seems to me that the residue around the pits should be filed off before a proper evaluation of the pits could be made...Once things were flush, sanding could possibly tell if there is a bulge in the area as well...

I agree, after filing the residue flush a short 6" metal straight edge ruler pressed perpendicular to the barrel would hi-light any bulge that might be there.

Since it's Sunday and I'm making Dog Food, I've go some time before I go down into my shop. For discussion's sake I'll give you my opinion (unsolicited, but what the hell) as to what I'd do. It will not doubt stir controversy, and propel this thread along. I'm not a Gunsmith, merely an amateur restorer. It's similar to what I've done on another gun.

First, I'd file the pits and check for pit depth and a bulge. If there was sufficient barrels thickness in the pits and no bulge, I'd go get the pits filled by laser welding with an appropriate filler rod, then proof, (if it passes, that is if you want a Shooter)) prep and refinish. Even if the pits are really deep, it might be worth it to get them filled and give it a try. The pattern there will be FUBAR, but the gun will be usable. If a bulge was present, I'd slug the area and iron it out with a rawhide hammer after filing yet before laser filling. Metal becomes harder when cold-worked, not softer. Ironing out bulges in these old guns used to be common, and I see no reason not to do so as long as it is properly re-proofed.

Regards

Ken

Seems like I've read somewhere that one suggested method of demilling a firearm for wallhanger use is to drill a hole through the barrel(s) at the chamber. Always sounded like a good way to kill somebody to me. The pits may be drilled holes somebody tried to "fix"...Geo

It's easier to drill the hole through the flats. I have to do that whenever I section down a set of barrels for my pattern-welded collection. I don't want to end up like Randy Weaver.

I do not think this has been TIG welded. Why? Because any TIG welder with any competence at all would have left these pits filled. They would no longer be pits. If they had been drilled holes, a competent TIG welder would have completely filled those holes, although there might be evidence on the inside wall of the barrel.

I would still want to get a good look at the inside with a borescope before proceeding. Also, file off that bloom of corrosion around the pits with a needle file, clean them out with a dental pic, and get a measurement of the depth. That looks somewhat similar to the pitting I spoke about in one of the rust bluing threads on an otherwise very nice set of Baker Damascus barrels. It was very localized and deep, actually going all the way through the left barrel, and ruining the top rib. But the surrounding area was unscathed.

First of all, for those of you who didn't see my first thread, I WELCOME all opinions and lessons learned from experience.

The most perplexing thing is that the rest of the barrels, I mean the entire length and circumference, is slick and smooth, beautiful condition.

The other perplexing thing is that I just bought this gun sight unseen from a very honest gentleman I've done business with in the past. I'll bet dollars to donuts he didn't see these pits, just as I myself didn't see them at first, not until I looked the gun over more thoroughly a couple hours after unpacking and putting it together.

I love the gun, but I can't say I love this mess so close to the breech. The gun is a high grade top 5 British make and I paid a sizeable amount but actually a steal for a gun of this make. Of course, all of this is true WITHOUT the presence of those troubling pits.

I don't like to call them pits because to me, pits occur from rust and/or decay from something else. I maintain that the barrel was hurt in a fall or accident of some kind and what is there now is evidence of someone trying to fix the harm.

I'd love to keep it, but I honestly can't say how much it would cost to make it safe, or at lease safer than it looks now. And I admit, with a low load (this is a muzzleloader for those who came in late) it might even be safe as it is now. But I sure as hell value my fingers too much to just go ahead on a hunch!

Again, please chime in with opinions, thoughts, experience etc. concerning possible fixes..

EDIT: Forgot to say a big THANKS to all who have contributed thus far.

KK, If you can, I recommend sending it back ASAP for a full refund. Too risky fooling with that one. There are better piece's out there.

buzz, I've already decided to do so. It's a shame, I really like the gun but I've got other guns I can sink money into.

Good move in my humble opinion. Whatever caused it, it's UGLY. I would be not only worried about my hands, but maybe even worse, my face and eyeballs.

Isn't it odd that two of the "pits" are triangular in shape and though one is considerably smaller than the other, they are both canted at exactly the same angle.... what do you make of that?

Maybe marks from an ill fitting vise or wrench? Just a guess.

DAM16SXS - Yes, I did notice that but since I couldn't truly understand what any of the "ugliness" meant in the first place, or whence it came, I just put it in the same file of ?

Is it possible that someone tried to fill the pits using an acid-based solder? Would that result in the "bloom of corrosion" that is now around them?
Ken