Ray, speaking in generalities, as the gauge goes up the internal pressures exerted on the barrel walls go down - the smaller the gauge, the higher the pressures and vice-versa.

This theory is based on the load used.

Bob how nice is nice..... And what gauge is it? If it was a 12 well maybe if it was a 20 I would probably pass or put tubes in it.

Thanks, Dean. I have a 10 ga with pitted bores. They are about .032 and.042. (I think, tho one guy measured them at .043 and.045) Have thought about cleaning them up but have hesitated. A couple of pits are pretty deep. Do you think this could cause a rupture? Ray

Robin ... What a great illustration ! ... I hope everyone prints several copies for future reference ... THANKS !

Jim Kucaba ... AriZOOna Cactus Patch ... Email: JimKucaba@aol.com

That is a pretty nice compromise without being too specific. It works for me until we get some more specific measurements from original Parker barrels. By the way, the minimum barrel wall thickness of my #6 frame ten gauge is .100. I feel fairly comfortable shooting the old
2 1/4 ounce copper fours in that one.

Ray, simple pits, even pits we might think of as "deep" don't generally contribute to ruptures unless combined with other serious barrel issues such as being below accepted safe minimum wall thickness or improperly repaired dents, etc. I have Damascus guns with considerable pitting in the bores which I shoot without trepidation because I know the barrel walls, from one end of the barrels to the other, are quite sufficiently thick and sound.

Bill, on a 6-frame 10 bore I would have guessed thicker.

Thanks again, Dean. I'm gonna shoot it this weekend for the frist time. If you don't hear from me again, you know what happened! :violin: