doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com "New manufactured" Lefever project

How about barrels made in USA by American craftsmen.... Hint: It's already in the works....

For Ken and Steve,
When I visited the CSM factory with Milt, Tony showed us that the RBL barrels were machined to final fit for the actions while registering in a fixture on the hinge.

Chuck and Nitrofever --- thanks for the great info. Will certainly check it out. Ken

Okay guys, question ... I have been thinking of a hard chromed bore which should be available. The bbl's however would be monoblocked. Would this be to objectionable if the peice is really good ? They would be light and of good quality. This is still in the research stage. Ken

Ken, mono-blocing will simplify the manufacturing/cost and give the engraver another site(the join) to display their skills. Further chrome plated bores make steel shot an option and plastic wad clean up a snap. Yes to Monoblocking. Best, Dr. BILL

Ken:

With the quality you are going for I would have no objection. In fact it would give me more flexibility.

Al

Chrome plated bores are a nightmare to the guys who can't leave the cones and chokes alone. I am a little suspicious of those who claim that steel shot is OK in chrome plated bores. Is that true? I can't believe that chrome plating prevents the "pushing" of the metal at the choke area, especially if the choke is .035 to .040. What is the true story?

Hard chromed barrel tubes/monoblocking may be the way to go. Question - what barrel lengths and choke combinations are being considered. It would be difficult to grind out an existing tight chromed choke to open up; example, open a full choke to Skeet 1.

Possibly the initial offering could be 28 inch barrels with I.C. and Mod only - keep it simple! Another thought - would the group consider Briley chokes similar to the 28 inch RBL barrels?

If the barrel tubes are TIG welded to the monoblock, the seam would virtually disappear.

Ken,
I think the concerns about using steel shot are well founded. In SD, they require non-tox on public land for upland (phez,grouse,huns, etc.) hunting now. I'm sure the situation on use of lead is going to get more restrictive rather than less, in the future. I think non-tox requirements are on the horizon all over the place.

If a guy gets $10-15k invested in a gun, he should be assured of it's viability as a hunting gun for decades. No sense creating a gun that might have very limited or no utility value, shortly down the road. I think some of these guys would like to be able to pass along a hunting gun that their offspring could use.

So, your suggestion of hardchrome (or possibly Ti-Nitride, like the RBL) plated bores is sensible to me.

Mono-blocked barrels would be ok by me, IF they don't rollmark the joint like many inexpensive guns. You may also consider looking into having the barrels either Electron Beam or Laser welded into the monoblock and then the weld normalized and blended. The filler metal would likely have to be a raised lip on the monoblock or the barrel, or could be a third piece that is added. I'm no weld expert, so you should seek someone more versed in this area. But, I might prefer a EB or laser welded mono-block to a soldered one for this gun. BTW, I did a sleeving job where I TIG welded the barrels to the "mono-block".

I think the chrome merely protects the steel at the cones and front part of the barrel from wear by the steel shot. I don't think tightly choked chrome plated barrels would be any safer than non plated for steel shot. (note that most modern choke tubes say "not for steel" on the full choke tubes).
Chrome lining is usually a cheaper method of getting a smooth polished surface on the inside of the barrel. The chrome will self level to a smooth finish without additional operations, this saves additional polishing that would be required to polish the bores smooth in an unplated barrel.