Over bored barrels

[Double Lab]

A couple of months ago I purchased a Wm. Ford 20ga. hammer gun with 30" tubes. In my research of this gun and it's maker I learned some interesting things. You are right on John, things do come full circle. Not much has changed as far as shotgun bore/chamber improvements . Wm. Ford was a maker of fine damascus barrels for the trade including some of the big London names. The barrels on this delightful gun were made under the "Heath chamberless system". The chambers are 20ga., the bores are 16ga. and the 4"chokes are 18ga. with no forcing cones. .019(IM)/.028(Xfull). Barrels were measured with a 12ga. barrel mic. Mr. Ford put his barrels on a Boss back action. The recoil with this gun is extremely mild with standard 7/8oz. skeet loads and virtually non-existent with my 3/4oz., low pressure handloads, all loaded in 2 3/4" hulls. I own a number of 20ga. Parkers and none of them recoil less than this gun. I guess what's old is new.