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

What do you figure minimum barrel wall thickness should be? Is .020" 11" from the muzzle too thin?

The first 13" from the breech end is where wall thickness is most important. Barrels typically are struck thinner in the middle than at either end, so you should be fine if the rest of the barrels check out.

I thought I read somewhere that most gunmakers like to stay above .025

Are the barrels pattern welded, decarbonized, or fluid steel? Maker? Nitro proved? Pitting?
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZIo0y746UsSRZIgRuuxwAbZjSBHitO_EanvwLYc-kGA/edit

Safe but may dent easier. I have several guns with .020 barrels which have been fine. But I also shoot only sane loads. Won�t be dropping a couple wallyword shells in them. 5-6 K in 12, 7-8K in 20.

Damascus, BP proof. No pitting

if you must shoot it, use black powder loads only...

I agree with Mark and Jon, and do not agree with ed. Today one can purchase factory smokeless loads that reproduce pressures for which the gun was designed and proved:
1 1/8 oz. 3 Drams Hall & Son No. 4 or Curtis & Harvey�s No. 4 T.S. (82 grains; somewhat similar but not equivalent to medium grain FFg) was about 6500 psi.
1 1/4 oz. 3 1/4 Drams Curtis & Harvey�s No. 4 T.S. was about 8500 psi.

Doc sounds like yer saying when the gun was designed they just used sqib loads....

shewww

Get a dial caliper open it to 20 thousands and take a look.