What do the experts say?

[Ray Masciarella]

I have a set of 10 ga damascus barrels that are pitted. Wall thickness is .042 and .047. It shoots a decent pattern.

A few of the pits look "deep" but that is a relative term and I'm not sure how "deep" deep is! In other words, I'm not sure I can get them all out without going too far. Should I:

1. Leave them alone and go shooting?
2. Have them honed and see where I end up without going too far?

On the second option, even if I can't get them all compltetly out, is fewer pits better then more pits? I guess is that it is hard to say. Just a few could be a problem I suppose.

Generally may feeling is not to fix something that doesn't need fixing but I'm not sure if my barrels are in need of fixing.

Thx, Ray

[ED J, MORGAN]

If the pattern is ok leave it alone

[C.O.B.]

Leave it alone.

[Bill Murphy]

I have had good success with scrubbing the bores with oil wet emery cloth. Be careful of the sharp edge at the muzzle and breech. Don't round off the rim recesses.

[Chris T.]

Don't let a few pitts bother you, your better off with the max wall thickness. I don't think I have ever owned a Parker that hasn't had some pitting. The bores may look great, but once you give them a good scrubbing with a bronze brush a few times your bound to find some secrets.

[Holeshot]

I remember getting a 10 ga. without pits until I shot it the first time. The gun hadn't been shot for over 30 years. When I cleaned it after firing I was in for a surprise. I also have a D2 10 ga. heavily pitted that I shoot. I was nervious at first but no more. I patterned with a sp10 wad and it shoots just fine. I would leave alone and just shoot it. Dave

[charlie cleveland]

im like the rest of the fellas dont hone just shoot and enjoy...couple my guns bores are as ugly as home made sin butthey shoot just fine... charlie

[J. A. EARLY]

I'm shooting an ugly-bore NH 10 ga with SP wads and American-E shot (tungsten based polymer) and buffer but fairly low pressure. They claim the stuff to be safe, only slightly harder than lead. The next ones I load I will also add the mylar wrapper, but I see no apparent scarring, damage, and my barrels are about your thickness. With all of the plastic going down the barrel I wire-brush well after shooting. I had rather have thickness everywhere except the pits instead of a thinner barrel everywhere. Just my opinion. Others may disagree. Not an expert opinion though.

[B. Dudley]

If you hone out, all you are doing is removing thickness that is there. you may reduce the depth of the pits, but the amount of metal between the bottom of the pit and the outside of the barrel has not changed. About all that honing does is maybe make them easier to clean.

[Harry Collins]

I gave Sherman Bell a very early VH that had pitts so deep a groundhog was hidding in one of them. That gun took 31500 psi before it let go at the breech. Leave it alone and shoot the snot out of it.

Kindest, Harry