#3 frame DH, needs barrels

[Brian Dillard]

Well, I jumped into the pool again today and purchased a "work in progress" gun.
I bought a late 1800's DH that looks to be in excellent shape and original(incl SKB) but it will need new barrels due to a small buldge mid way up the right tube...anyone out there with an old #3 set lying about?? Ideally want 28" choked for pheasant / quail and don't mind Damascus though these are steel.

[Bruce Day]

Fix the small bulge and don't try to find new barrels. A good barrel smith can fix it by inserting a mandrell, heating the barrel and tapping the bulge down. He may have to remove the ribs. The barrels will need to be refinished. Try Dale at 816 444 2040.

A 3 frame 12ga was made for waterfowl and should have at least 30" barrels on it. They will be thick at the breach and heavy. If you want an upland gun, find one and buy it and don't try to make one out of a duck gun.

[Brian Dillard]

Thanks Bruce,
These barrels have been cut to 28" and I knew that when buying it...I've been using my CHE 30" for ducks so far this season and have a killer little DH 1 1/2 frame we've been shooting pheasant with but wanted another specifically to use for pheasant and maybe use the DH 1 1/2 frame for the quail in South Texas.

Hence the purchase of the #3 frame DH.

Anyhow, I'll take your note and send the barrels off for possible repairs and see what comes of that.

cheers!

[Bruce Day]

If the barrels were originally 30's, and two inches were cut off, you likely have .005 to .010 choke left in each. That plus full cup wads will still give you tight enough patterns, particularly for decoying ducks. If you find a set of #3 barrels, they will be heavy. If you fit #2 barrels, you will have an unsightly gap between the barrel breech and the frame breech balls. A set of #3 barrels could be hard to find. Most #2 barrels were 30's and less than that would be hard to find in a #2. You need in the 1 1/2's before you stand a good chance of finding a 28", and then you would have a significant gap, even assuming the slot and barrel lug fit.

Also, if you find post 1910 barrels, they will have the side grooved bolt plate which mates with the action bolt. Your pre 1910 D action won't have the right bolt unless it was sent back and modified. DelGrego has the right parts for that issue and will do a good job.

[Destry L. Hoffard]

#3 frame 12 gauge guns are pretty rare even in damascus. Russ and I had ours out for the ducks up in Quebec, was fun to know that we were both shooting #3 guns despite the rarity.

Murphy has been looking for a set for a project gun for quite awhile without success.

Mine has 34 inch barrels which led to some envy from Russ and his had factory 2 7/8 chambers which led to some envy from me.

Destry

[Brian Dillard]

Looks like repairing the original barrels on the gun may be the best solution for now, that leaves a shootable gun and I can still keep an eye out for an alternate set in the future.

Bruce, I think I'd only use a set of #3, I'm waaaay too picky to have "a gap" much less a "significant gap" of any kind.

It's overcast and spitting rain / sleet....I'm headed to shoot a duck or two.

[Destry L. Hoffard]

Our Michigan season opens on Saturday, I'm hoping for great things. My season so far as been pretty good, if luck holds......

DLH

[Bruce Day]

Ducks in the morning with a 3 frame and browns with the evening hatch on the Frying Pan with a 4 wt, Brian. Doesn't get much better.

[Brian Dillard]

Ducks in the morning with a 3 frame and browns with the evening hatch on the Frying Pan with a 4 wt, Brian. Doesn't get much better.

Bruce, you don't know how on target you were with that statement. Where I hunt ducks is a hot spring in the middle of the river...I put the 4 wt Sage in the truck just incase the ducks aren't cooperating...and today two nice rainbows cooperated onto my nymph and in the net.:shock:

[Kurt Densmore]

Well, I jumped into the pool again today and purchased a "work in progress" gun.
I bought a late 1800's DH that looks to be in excellent shape and original(incl SKB) but it will need new barrels due to a small buldge mid way up the right tube...anyone out there with an old #3 set lying about?? Ideally want 28" choked for pheasant / quail and don't mind Damascus though these are steel.

Sounds like an interesting gun. Early titantic steel bbls I presume...too bad someone cut them off. You must have better pheasant hunting than I do. If I carried a 9.5lb gun for pheasants my arms would be 2 inches longer and my back would be in terrible shape by the time I shot one......let alone a limit. I may not even be able to lift it to my shoulder after carrying it for so long...Good luck with the project.

Kurt

[Andrew Thompson]

where'd u pick it up?

[Kurt Densmore]

You should consider sending the Parker DH built on a number 3 frame to TOBY BARCLAY and having the barrels SLEEVED and made perfect again. If you want the barrels back to their original length again you will need a replacement top and bottom rib. Toby Barclay can put your Parker DH back to almost new condition and it will have the chokes you specify. Jent

Hello Jent,
What is the typical cost for a sleeving job ?? Out of curiosity mostly.

[Don Kaas]

Contact John Foster in the UK and go to the best sleevers in the business. "$500 to perfectly regulate..." Giggle, laugh...:rotf: Foster has done 5 sets of barrels for me over the years-all superbly. However the decline of the $ and the new regualtions that brevent mailing back the gun have made this opertion much more expense. You' still need to find a Parker top rib to get the right job and they may not have sleeving tubes of sufficient girth for such a large set of barrels . This would likely not be cost effective for a project gun.Unless someone like Merrington can repair the barrels, (waiting and) finding a donor set of Parker barrels and having them fitted here is the way I would go (and have gone).

[Brian Dillard]

(waiting and) finding a donor set of Parker barrels and having them fitted here is the way I would go (and have gone).[/QUOTE]

Thanks Don,
I think this is where I'm headed with this gun. Waiting on the UPS man now and will then be sending the original barrels off for inspection to estimate repairs.

[Destry L. Hoffard]

Jent,

How many guns have you sent to Toby at that kind of price?


DLH

[Brian Dillard]

[QUOTE=Destry L. Hoffard;5172]Jent,

How many guns have you sent to Toby at that kind of price?

DLH

:rotf: No kidding...Hell, I have no idea how to repair one but when we're talking about $4-5k for repairs to a set of barrels....I am open to learn anything.

[Brian Dillard]

Thanks Jent,

That's what I love about this site...I learn more everyday and get the privi of a wide range of input and opinion.

Best,

[Brian Dillard]

Interesting,

Well the gun came in yesterday, low and behold the follownig:

Interesting:
1- It's a #2 frame as stamped (the seller must have been looking at the grade stamp and seen the 3).
2- The barrels have been repaired (pretty good job)!!! Only need bluing.
3- They are Titanic...not Vulcan as noted by the seller!!
4- It looks as if someone also steamed out a few small dings in the stock at some point because it's flat and perfect.

The Bad:
1- The chambers have been bored from 2 1/2
2- There are two cracks (one on each side) about 1.25" along the wrist.

The Good:
1- All numbers match up!!!
2- Engraving is good (on the forend release the engraver engraved the patent date on the outside)
3- Though cut to 28", the barrels just touch at the end.
4- The wood is fanastic, even better than my CHE in color, marble and overall texture.

Now this throws off my whole thought process.:banghead:

Any thoughts from the forum appreciated.

[Kurt Densmore]

Well, now you might just have a good pheasant gun that won't stretch your arms. How much is cut off the bbls. If they were 30" then you may still have some choke left. If they are solid I would just shoot them as they are and keep an eye out for a set of #2 frame 10ga bbls...a bit harder to find than a set of #3 10 ga bbls....You could also try to fit a set of #2 frame 12 gauge bbls to the action and have a two bbl set. That would be a nice two barrel set to have. For upland birds I prefer a 28" bbl gun over a 30" anyway. But then I am only 5' 8" and 30" bbls are dragging in the weeds.

Good luck with the new acquistion and post up some pics. Everybody likes to see a nice grade 3 with nice wood.

Kurt

[Brian Dillard]

Kurt,

Well, I've decided to keep it. My other DH is Damascus and has 26" bbls, this will make a nice addition and as seen below in yesterday's haul...it works pretty well for the quackers too!!

[Andrew Thompson]

Nice!

[Andrew Thompson]

Nice job. Here's a result from an NC morning. Note the jewels on the greenwing.

[jack lyons]

Have your gunsmith make a set of split steel steel blocks that fit the barrel od, like a clamp, place the clamps on the barrel and useing a press on the blocks to push the dent back in ,Any heating on those soft solder barrels is asking for a big bill to resolder ribs back together, I have done several barrels this way , you can contact me at jlyons1@comcast.net

[Brian Dillard]

Here's another view, her name is Hudson.

[John Dallas]

Hudson? I would have sworn it is a Jeep

[Kurt Densmore]

Nice Parker and swamp buggy...:)

[John Truitt]

Capt Mitchell,

I am curious as to the weight of one of those barrel blanks. I know there is a lot of steel that has to be removed, etc, but just out of curiosity I was wondering.

They look great. Please keep us informed of how the project goes. Have you talked to anyone at Briley's yet about the sleeveing job?

John