Hello all,
I am trying to gauge if there is much demand for chopperlump barrels. I currently do a fair amount of sleeving, monoblock, and shoelump construction. I've been asked a few times about it but have dismissed it in the past due to costs and finding a supplier. I've found a place that will make me individual barrels with a large lump on the end, so that's a check!

Cost would still be up there, not nearly as high as a set from the U.K.
I think that along with not dealing with shipping overseas has its appeal.

I think this would be fabulous. How much, roughly would a new set of choppers cost the individual for a sidelock or for a boxlock if you made them? What kind of steel? Is it a USA source for the barrels?

and as for sleeving, what is your cost difference for seams vs seamless...

Definitely interested and willing to put money up front for the raw materials on two sets of 16ga barrels and commit to a trial on the first complete set.

I am surprised there is not more demand for this kind of work, that someone in the US is not offering it.

The supplier is here in the US although I'd like to keep that exclusive as I've put a lot of work in networking to find someone to do it. Right now I see no reason why I can't get them in 4140 although I'm going to try for 4340 also.

Ed, my seams are extremely faint. If one wanted the front seam laser welded that only adds about $100 to the overall $3000ish cost.

Michael, the one pitfall to my supplier is he won't do fixed choke, only a straight bore. An interchangeable choke system then becomes necessary.

Would there be enough wall thickness on the blanks to backbore or jugchoke?

SRH

Why not spec them .040" underbore?

That would leave the finish bore to you.


There is likely a market for double rifle barrel sets for popular shotguns.

I'm doing my best to work through the choke issue.

You have to! People who will want new chopper lump barrels for their side by sides, whether the same gauge or instead going to a smaller bore (e.g. 20 ga to 28 ga) are most likely not going to want choke tubes. There may be some that do, but....

I agree. You need to have the tubes start full choke. Or else interest will drop greatly.

Cost for Seam vs. Seamless??? What on earth is that supposed to mean? Simple, a smith offering sleeved barrels with a seam should be charging $0.00.

What about a fixed choke sleeve instead of tubes? It should be invisible.

Is it possible to have a monobloc machined to specs, the design being from the solidworks program? For 20 or 28 gauge.

Not chopper lump, but you mention above that you do monobloc already.

I agree that there is demand for chopper lumps here, but also agree that it would be important to find a way to offer them with fixed chokes. I personally would like to specify a choke constriction with a bespoke barrel order. Thank you for the research on this product and the polite consideration of offering it to this audience.