VH 20 Ga. Info. Needed

[Larry Harwood]

Gentlemen,

As a newly registered user of this site, I'm in need of information concerning a 20 Ga, VH. The serial number of the gun is 171094. The gun has some "issues" and any information concerning its factory specifications would be greatly appreciated.

Larry

[Russ Jackson]

Good Morning Larry, and welcome to the forum !,Your serial # 171094 ,is not listed in the serialization book ,but the forum research page shows that there are existing records for your gun ! If you go to our home page ,on the left side ,click onto Research letters ,then on the next screen you can type in your serial # and see this info. ,print a form and send it off with a check for $40.00 ,for a member or $60.00 for a non member and in a few weeks you will receive whatever info. there is for your gun !

[Larry Harwood]

Russ,

Thanks for the response, but I'm currently on day two of my three day inspection period on this gun ... the gun has some issues and factory specifications for it would clear up most of them.

Larry

[Russ Jackson]

Larry; If you could post pics. of all parts you question ,you will probably get responses from the many qualified and knowledgable folks on this forum that could clear up what your concerns are !

[Richard Flanders]

Larry. Post pics and folks will help you quickly. Given the current market, you might also try to get the inspection period extended some.

[Larry Harwood]

Russ,

Here are some of the issues that concern me about this gun:

The barrels appear to have been honed; the bores, measuring .624", are bright and shiney but for the last 8-9" at the muzzle where their diameter drops, over a distance of approximately one inch, to .620". The last (at the muzzle) 8-9" of the bores, although shiney, have a series of 3-5 arcs - only on their outboard sides - that look like deep, but polished, chip marks often left by a less than careful reamer operator. The barrel flats are stamped 32 yet the barrels only weigh 2 lbs. 10.4 oz..

The barrels also measure 27 15/16" with almost no unengraved rib at the muzzle.

My main concern is that if the barrels have been honed as I suspect, the minimum barrel wall thickness may make the gun questionable for use.

Larry

[Dave Fuller]

The factory spec.s will not address bore diameter or wall thickness. It sounds like a good bet that the barrels have been cut if that bothers you. I'd have a qualified gunsmith look at the bores and measure your wall thickness for you.

[David Hamilton]

What is the metal thickness at the muzzle? This measurement may help you decide whether or not you would shoot the gun. David

[George Lander]

Larry: Take the gun to a qualified gunsmith and have him measure the wall thickness ^ the chokes which should be modified & full. Otherwise you would be faced with sleeving (probably not worth doing to a VH).

Best Regards, George

[Bruce Day]

Not only wall thickness is in issue now, but you may want to look closely at roundness and pattern the gun. I have seen Parkers that have out of round bores at the muzzle from honing and choke opening. An oval bore will give you a terrible pattern.

[Dave Suponski]

Larry,You stated that this gun is a 20 gauge. And you measured the bores at .625 that would mean the bores have been honed around .010.As was previously stated have the wall thickness checked.


Thanks Greg....

[Bruce Day]

Let's see. A typical light 0 frame 20 at maybe .028 wall originally, less .010.......

Might be fine if you shoot with a welder's glove on your leading hand and arm.

[Dean Romig]

Send it back. Too many potential problems . . . time is running out - there are others out there, just keep looking.

[Larry Harwood]

Thanks to all who responded to my request. Dean would win the prize, were one to be awarded, for the most helpful answer ... the gun is going back ... just too many problems.

This is my second run at acquiring a decent VH 20 for grouse and woodcock hunting and packing them up and sending them back is getting old fast! The first "returnee" was the same gun that Weston Croft sent back. And, although I asked all the right questions before having the gun shipped to me, the answers I was provided with, were all - to put it generously kind - incorrect. I'm certain that I'll find the gun I'm looking for but probably not at either of the dealers I've thus far dealt with.

And from an earlier post by Dean ... I couldn't agree more, the Spiller gun is a thing of beauty and a joy forever.

Bruce, I hope to see you again at the 2010 Flatwater.

Larry

[Bruce Day]

Hoping to be there again, Larry. Remember our mutual friend with the bandaged hand from too thin burst barrels? That resulted from a very lightweight gun, this could have resulted from overly honed barrels.

For those out here who have not been to Flatwater in Syracuse Nebraska, its a wild event. Between the firing line of people shooting sporting clays with bolt action shotguns, the fellow who makes his own 16ga barrels for a Browning Double Auto and the ability to shoot everything from a Marlin Goose Gun to a Purdey, well its a hoot.