Is the problem with reproofing old guns going to make it very hard to get a gun reproofed at all? It sounds like more than a few gunsmiths are so disgusted by the number of failures of what they do not consider to be marginal guns that they are going to stop even offering to have them reproofed if not strictly required. I understand the law is the law but if smiths do not want to take on jobs which will require reproof then many old guns may become wall decorations.

I have bought a few guns at auction and from dealers over the years which I had reproofed after purchase, mostly black to nitro type reproofs. Each was done on a case by case basis and all passed. Old Damascus barrels are not to be under estimated in quality and strength. From the horror stories I have heard lately I would either not even buy them in the first place or just not risk a reproof.

As to the small town gunsmith remark I would never underestimate the quality of the work based on address. I knew a "small" town gunsmith who took a 20 Ga. POS, Spanish double and converted it into a .444 double rifle. It would cut figure eights at 100 yards with the first two shots with a cold barrel using a decent scope. Ten shot groups were in the three inch range as they started to open up the grouping when the gun heated up. Right barrel and left barrel were perfectly converged at 100 yards and he had the load figured out that it was as deadly as the man behind it. And the .444 is no varmint gun.

It showed me that if you took care to get the gun setup right, match bullet to rifling and velocity, accuracy can be greatly improved. That gunsmith worked out of a small shop, with what we call outdated equipment in the backwaters. It is the arrow not the Indian or the size of his tent.