doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Loose action Boswell

Curious, TIG welding was invented in the 1940's. Just how old IS this "Jack" fellow?.

Jack has been dead since 2015:

https://shootingsportsman.com/john-frederick-jack-rowe-1936-2015/


He apprenticed at Wright’s, and, I’m guessing he wouldn’t do the punch methods of repair to English best guns, in England. He fixed guns here in the states, and dealt with more run of the mill stuff.

TIG welding, as applied to soldered and brazed gun barrels is a more recent phenomenon.

Best,
Ted

the thing that is most striking for me when i watch one of jack's midway tutorials....is the simple confidence and economy of motions....born of 50 years on the bench.

best regards,

tom

https://www.microprecisionwelding.com/
Tony knows his stuff. I've never had him do work on a hinge pin but bet he could. He's done other work for me- superb.

1932-2015

I took my Boswell to a local gunsmith to check out the loose action. He commented that the degree of movement when the gun barrels are moved laterally with the forend off is quite minimal. Considering the amount of use I give the gun, he said it will be many years before it becomes an issue. He suggested using light trap ammunition as a means of extending its life further and applying grease to the hinge pin. He replaced both firing pin springs as I've had an occasional misfire, mainly when using reloads. The original box lock springs were considerably more closed at the open end compared to the new ones he fitted. Thanks to all for your input.

Reidy,
It sounds like your Boswell will be back in action. That’s good news. I see you are in Australia, so a welder in the United States is probably not an option. however, for the group here, I wanted to give a second note of support for Toni at Micro Precision Welding. He has done a few jobs for me. His attention to detail is meticulous and he is super professional.

Best regards,

Larry

The best way to check if the gun is tight on face, is to see if it closes on a one thousandth inch (.001") feeler gauge.
If it does, it's off the face, and needs a rejoint. It will get worse quickly - everything has a run at each other.
Modern "light" trap loads are usually way over pressure for an older double gun.

As noted previously we do have a tendency to judge the way repairs where done in the past from our modern standpoint of todays technology, this being rather unfair and rather condescending. In the photograph is the barrel lump section of a 12 bore double barrel shotgun at the time it was off the face when the repair showing was undertaken. This curved punch repair was done by a high standing gunmaker and gunsmith Samuel Ebrall. At the time this form of repair to put the gun back on face was completely acceptable because over the years I have seen many guns with these curved punch marks on the barrel hook.

Not sure if it was the case in England, but, a gun that was broken or unusable, circa 1930-1938 might have put a rural family that much closer to starvation here in the states. “Farmstead Repairs” were a thing, and the owner probably didn’t care if the screw slot was perfect when he got the gun back together, as long as it worked, and might provide a bunny or two to supplement his larder.

My Dad had chores that involved pan fishing and squirrel hunting several times a week. They were not negotiable. It was expected. Squirrels could be sold at the farmers market, a dressed pair brought two bits. Fur had to be on the tree rats, as unscrupulous folk would slip a house cat in to the mix.

Things were much closer to the bone, in that era.

Best,
Ted