suspect 20 Ga.

[Thomas L. Benson Sr.]

If my info is correct someone blued these barrels and changed the top rib to read Vulcan. I wait for your expert opinion. Thomas

[Fred Verry]

Thomas, can you supply the serial number, and a complete picture of the barrel flats. Also a closeup what looks like a big D on the barrel flat might prove helpful.

[Mike Franzen]

Thomas I'm no expert but, that looks highly suspect. It might have read LAMINATED STEEL.

[Thomas L. Benson Sr.]

Mike: I thought it was damascus because of the D. It is a VH Thomas

[Thomas L. Benson Sr.]

Mike: The ser. No. Is 220380 and it isn't in the book and no letter is available Thomas

[Dean Romig]

The D is for Damascus. I see the rosettes of damascus in the barrel flats so the barrels are Damascus and blued or are fluid steel sleeved to a Damascus "mono-bloc".

[will evans]

Gosh.. Barely percepticle change. Looks almost factory to the untrained eye. :)

Did they use a table fork for the engraving?

[Thomas L. Benson Sr.]

It is a sweet little gun that someone went to the trouble of changing and I wish they had left it alone. It is a 0 frame with 26 inch barrels and single trigger. I would have preferred damascus but it is what it is. I removed the trigger guard and all the no match so that is good. Thomas

[Rick Losey]

if someone put the money into having it sleeved, leaving it alone may not have been a option.

the uneven stamping does detract from the repair though

[charlie cleveland]

its still a good looking gun to me..for what ever at some time somebody did this work to it.sure its a shame but heh i d be proud to have this little gun as it is....charlie

[Thomas L. Benson Sr.]

Dean: If it is sleeved I should be able to see a line outside or inside right? Thomas

[Brian Dudley]

The barrels were originally Damascus. I can see the pattern ever so slightly on the water table photo.
The makers mark has been clearly and crudely altered and the Vulcan name punched in. The clear touch ups done to the rib mating at the joint between the rib and the rib extension are concerning. And also, how much the rib extension screw stands out is concerning. It looks to me like they may have been hot blued and some solder seeped out at the screw and joint giving it that halo effect.

I don't see any evidence of sleeving. Just looks like someone put Damascus barrels on a VH frame and then did a horrible job of trying to making it look right.

[Brian Dudley]

Xxx

[Bill Murphy]

Not all these ground up guns are sleeved. Many just have the scratched on rib legend and cold blued Damascus barrels. Show us the serial number on the side of the barrel lug.

[Thomas L. Benson Sr.]

Thanks everyone for the info on this 20 Ga. Bill here is a photo of the ser. no. Thomas

[Bill Murphy]

The serial number is the best part of the entire mess. Maybe this was an incredibly rare late Damascus 20 gauge that someone destroyed.

[Dean Romig]

No available records at all. I wouldn't want to see any records supporting (that gun to be) a Damascus VH anyway.... :crying:




Edited for clarity. Apparently my post was misunderstood by some.

[Thomas L. Benson Sr.]

I was hoping that there would be Damascus under the bluing but not so I guess. I still have a nice light shooter and will be fine with that. Thomas

[Drew Hause]

Thomas: I also believe those are blued Damascus barrels. Put a dab of white vinegar on a soft cloth and rub an area underneath the forend (where it won't show). This will remove the blue and the Damascus 'scrolls' should be visible, as they are on the watertable.
What is the wall thickness?

A GH with blued Damascus

http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL1373/6511424/17227428/340516043.jpg

These Twist barrels show the faint sleeve weld line with the rib re-engraved "Spec. Steel"

http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL1373/6511424/17227428/340516037.jpg

[Erick Dorr]

Dean, Whatever you do, absolutely do not read TPS. Carefully cut pages 256 and 258 from TPS and burn them without glancing at the info provided.
Erick

[Thomas L. Benson Sr.]

Drew: thanks for that. I did give that a try and after trying it did not produce the results I was hoping and did find the fine line where it had been sleeved. It is now a 20 ga. O frame 26 inch steel barrels VH that weighs 6.60 and has nice wood with a single trigger and is a dream to shoot and will see some action on quail probably. Thomas

[Bill Murphy]

And then there's that "D" stamp. Glen Hoffaker had a 20 gauge Damascus V. However, the rib stamping didn't look like this one. I last saw Glen's gun in VA about five years ago.

[Brian Dudley]

Does that Serial number on the barrel lug match the gun? I think I see some signs of old number removal and then re stamping.

Though it is effective, One rarely needs vinagar to confirm if barrels are blued Damascus.
Nearly every set of blued Damascus barrels I have seen, the pattern can be seen when held right in the light. Rust bluing MAY cover the pattern better than cold or hot bluing.

I think you got a good candidate for a custom upgrade there Thomas. However, I might question the integrity of those barrels a bit.

[Thomas L. Benson Sr.]

Thanks all but what I've got is a shooter that looks kinda cool and it will go nicely with my VHE 20 Ga. With 32 inch barrels. Thomas

[Matt Valinsky]

Could somebody please explain how they did what was done to the barrels?

Thanks

[Drew Hause]

Here you go Matt, with some very sad pics
http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/20580224

[Dean Romig]

Dean, Whatever you do, absolutely do not read TPS. Carefully cut pages 256 and 258 from TPS and burn them without glancing at the info provided.
Erick


Hi there Erick - I'm not real good at guessing what people are trying to say when they don't just come right out and say it.... What is it you're saying to me Erick?

PS, I cheated and read those pages and still don't know what your meaning is.

Best, Dean

[Matt Valinsky]

Drew, Thank you Sir.

[wayne goerres]

In the last posted photo you can plainly see the lines were the barrels were sleved on both barrels.

[Dennis V. Nix]

I knew what sleeving entailed and I enjoyed the photos but I have a question. One photo shows the tubes being welded at the breech. But are the barrels welded where they butt up against the cut off old barrels as well? They aren't welded only at the breech end are they?

Dennis

[Brian Dudley]

Everything in a sleeve job would usually be soldered. Not welded. Welding would leave too much cleanup.

[Dennis V. Nix]

Thanks, Brian. That is what I thought but the photo in the link showed a breech with a caption saying it was welded. It looked welded so may have been.

Dennis