DHE Tragedy

[Justin Julian]

Sadly, this otherwise very nice looking, and reasonably priced, DHE has a barrel "hump". I tried to explain to the seller that it is a bulge, but he insists its not. In any event, looking at the location of the bulge, being right about where the pressure curve spikes, does anyone think it can be safely repaired?

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=477657533

[Jim DiSpagno]

Sadly, this otherwise very nice looking, and reasonably priced, DHE has a barrel "hump". I tried to explain to the seller that it is a bulge, but he insists its not. In any event, looking at the location of the bulge, being right about where the pressure curve spikes, does anyone think it can be safely repaired?

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=477657533

IMHO, only by replacing the entire tube or mono blocing the set. Or briley tubes in 20 ga. First two options are cost prohibitive unless the gun is of a much higher grade or has irreplaceable heritage or sentiment.

[Dean Romig]

It certainly looks like a bulge from where I sit.

I would consult an expert on barrels before I would condemn the gun. Certainly the cost to repair the barrel should deducted from the sell price of the gun.

[John Campbell]

This gun could be potential trouble.

I highly doubt if Parker ever made a gun with a barrel "hump". What others observe is what it most likely is: a bulge. The fact that it can't be seen from inside indicates that the barrels have probably been excessively honed inside to "remove" the bulge. This obviously means greatly reduced wall thickness.

I'd say it's a gun in need of new barrels. And a lower price.

[Dean Romig]

I can't believe a bulge that big can't be seen from the inside.

[Jim DiSpagno]

The seller probably didn't take the time to look properly. Just a glimpse at light.
That is certainly a bulge. Kirk Merrington should inspect these. He is the foremost barrel expert I know.

[Mike Franzen]

I think the only way I would be comfortable with those barrels is if Kirk Merrington had them in hand and gave an evaluation. He would know if they could be saved.

[Brian Dudley]

Oh yeah, that hump is supposed to be there. Only in one tube though. Much like the "Purdy Bump". lol.

I am sure the barrels could be repaired. But it would involve taking them apart, and mechanically removing the bulge which might end up stretching the tube some.

I know someone who had the old Lefever Arms operation do this exact work before with great success.

[Ed Blake]

I'd pass on that one. Too many nice guns out there to mess with a problem.

[Brian Dudley]

For that price... Yes. It will sit.

I also messaged him letting him know that is bump in a bulge that should be VERY noticable inside the bore.

[Rich Anderson]

If you deducted the cost of the repair from the selling price the seller would have to give you the gun and most likely some additional cash. I would run and not look back. There are to many nice guns out there to buy into a problem.

[Bill Murphy]

That would not be a legitimate project gun at half the price.

[Brian Dudley]

But a great parts gun at $500.

[Richard Flanders]

There's NO WAY that this bulge could not be seen from the inside... no way. There's also no way you could really fix it properly without dismembering the bbls down to parts. I think you could make it shootable with pin gages and a hammer without taking them apart, but you'd not get the bulge out in the rib areas and it would be very clear inside that this would be the case. The gun would still go bang and likely last indefinitely but there'd be a lesser guarantee of this vs doing it properly. I have treated a sub gauge Parker with this same situation, but with a much lesser bulge and up just behind the chokes. I got it out very thoroughly but you can still just barely detect it looking down the muzzle and I don't worry one bit about it up there. I'd be a bit more wary of this one being in the high pressure area in front of the chamber. If I had this and chose to fix it without taking the bbls apart I'd always shoot low pressure loads through it from then on. This of course is a tentative analysis without having actually seen the gun in person. Could be I'd look down the bbls, laugh and leave it on the table and walk away without looking back.

[Brian Dudley]

I emailed the seller too and he insists that it is not visable inside the bore. Gotta believe him right?

[Mills Morrison]

Maybe what we think is a bulge is just the way the light is hitting the barrels?:rolleyes:


This one doesn't tempt me in the least.

[Rich Anderson]

I wonder if the seller bought the gun this way or was the cause of the damage himself. Perhaps he is trying to sell his way out of a bad purchase on his part.

[Richard Flanders]

The seller is either fibbing or is blaming the seriously wavy down bore view on his macular degeneration.

[Larry Stauch]

That's about $1,200 as I recall and it's very hard to see when done properly.:corn:

If Keith Kearcher wouldn't have retired, he'd be your man.

[Tim Wells]

Typical pawn shop "gun store" story. They rarely know what they're truly looking at other than a name and dollar signs. That bulge is quite a ways down the barrel from the chamber, maybe something restricting the barrel once during discharge? Tis a shame.

[Justin Julian]

I attempted to contact Kirk Merrington for input, but the email address listed on his website does not appear to be operational. I then emailed the photos to Keith Kearcher and his son Kody sent me this response, and granted me permission to post it here:

Justin,
I could make it look better if I were to re-blue the barrels and polish the bore after I hammer out the bulge but I will not say that it won't come back or that they will be 100% safe. ($400)

Another option and a better option would be to either sleeve the barrel ($1,000 to $1,500) or send it to Briley's and have them put tubes in.

Kody Kearcher


So it would seem from Kody's reply that everyone's sentiments expressed here are fairly accurate. What a shame for an otherwise healthy looking DHE to come to such an inglorious end.

[Brian Dudley]

Calling Merrington is best to reach him.

[edgarspencer]

The book says it is supposed to be a 30" gun, so why even debate it?

[Justin Julian]

It looks like Brian nailed it---a great parts gun for $500.