doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Measuring barrel wall thickness

Any tool that will produce consistent readings is worth cost / effort.

The only way to measure pits (this topic keeps coming back) that might be available is an ultrasonic thickness gage. Relatively inexpensive ones are around, but will not do the job. It would take a high end instrument, one that measures coatings.

You can pick up an inexpensive bore scope. Then you can at least view the pits.

There are number of folks who have already posted on this thread. They know what they are talking about. This board is a good place to vet an idea, it is even a better place to learn. I am still learning from many here.

Pete

Thanks guys this is good stuff. I see a project coming on.

Rabbit, the Gaddy modification is not "discredited". It is just about impossible to use at a gun show or auction. Take the time to read my method. It was taught to me by Jon Hosford, who knows a little about shotgun measuring devices. One poster says my method requires two people. The vertical method requires a whole lot more help than that, not just a helper. I used the vertical method for a while, but never found a convenient place to hang the gauge at a gun show or auction. Another (Rookhawk) says my method is time consuming, would take an hour. I can measure a pair of guns in ten minutes, one gun in five, all results repeatable. His argument is that the Manson instructions cause him to think the gauge is "mediocre". Rookhawk has made a decision not to read the instructions on the PGCA site, which have no relationship to the Manson instructions. By the way, I never saw any instructions in the Manson box. I never did expect Pooch to read the instructions on the PGCA forum, but I expected better from Rookhawk. If you guys want to haul a Galazan table gauge to gun shows, be my guest, but my method and my Manson gauge will do the same job. I used the Galazan table gauge for years, but it never went out of the shop. Do you guys haul your table gauge to shows and auctions?

Here is a video of the Hosford gage. You need Adobe Flash player. Part Two is on the right, scroll until you see it.
A video is much easier to understand than words in my opinion.

Most all will work, the Hosford is a great tool to use at a show providing it is not to crowded and the seller lets you do so.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jQZn4kohH4&feature=relmfu

Eightbore,how can I access those instructions on the PGCA site? I having a hell of a time getting consistent readings from a gauge I bought. Thanks,justin

Why don't you stop picking on Ol' Pooch. Ol' Pooch did read the the instructions on the PGCA board, that's where I came up with the two monkeys trying to peel an apple analogy. With a Manson I've made enough readings to rate two guns within 10 minutes also and of the two dozen or so readings, one of them might actually be right. About the same success rate as two monkeys.

An eight bore is the diameter of a number 9 shot. The ramifications crack me up.

NOW a quick survey is space, time and ancillary equipment dependent? I thought that's the way it always was. A few yrs. ago Bill M. said he was getting by hanging the Manson from the tailgate on his rhino chaser. I guess that was only true for the camel jockey, shekels on the blanket, gotta run outside widit informality of Vintagers' events? I saw the Hosford demo'd at Pintail Pt. Beautifully-machined gadget but not particularly notable for a small footprint in use. I also had an opportunity to try a Galazan table gauge and neither the "hold your tongue just right" manipulation of barrels nor the repeatability of measurements impressed me despite being the time-honored design. Different strokes . . . .

jack

Justin, the instructions are on the PGCA forum, "General Parker Discussions" subforum. The thread title is as I stated on my post and it is on page 5 of that thread. I will not restate my instructions here, because several posters have made it clear that they will not read it. Maybe someone who thinks it is a good set of instructions will link it to this thread. I am trying to help people to read wall thickness in expensive shotguns for $95.00, not trying to get into a pissing match with people like Pooch. Benefit from my knowledge or don't. I'm through here. I am doing exactly what Rabbit did with his posts about the Gaddy modification. The only difference is that I'm getting shit from idiots who do not want to learn. Thank you, Rabbit for your information.

Thanks to the RevDoc for the link to the Murphy/Hosford material at PGCA. Bill, your instructions for use of the Manson WTG are similar to those given by Amarillo Mike for his "Truth" gauge a few months back. Obviously, the orientation of the gauge to the "in use" position for zeroing the indy is of first importance. After reading this, I see no reason why the inexpensive Manson could not be provided with a "third hand": a table hold down comprising a couple of pillow blocks and a shaft with an expanding mandrel one end and a crank the other for securing and rotating the barrel tube in the cantilevered horizontal orientation. As I recall Hosford has some sort of vise or holding appliance for his gauge.

jack