John,

I was recently told that the TIG process was discontinued and the only liners they are doing now will reduce the gauge size; similar to what others have been doing for years. I have not checked with them directly but the person that told me is very knowledgeable about such things.

Thanks Dave!! That's OK - I also messed up the MUZZLE and BREECH, and had to go in and correct that as well..??!! I should learn to type less - or proof read longer :D

Best to you - and thanks again!

John

John,

Leave the barrels as they are. Chances are that was how they came from the factory. They are plenty safe for everything except using them to strike rocks!

Just shoot it or sell it. There is nothing wrong with the gun except that it is a lightweight.

Mark

So John do you still own the 20ga ?

I suggest you keep it as is and disclose the thin walls to any potential buyer (which you already have). That is one beautiful gun! My goodness, how many rounds has it digested in its long life that were probably a heck of a lot hotter than what you've been feeding it.

Remember, WW Greener once had one of his barrels thinned to .010 near the muzzle and then shot proof loads through it with no ill effect. Then he used a pen knife to slit the tubes to show bystanders.

Yes, I still own her. I would NEVER sell something to someone without sharing all I knew. I am so thankful that the prospective buyer asked that I take the barrel dimensions and measurements. I should have done that when I first got her, but I didn't. Its simply a righteous little DH.

So, thanks guys.... I have an aversion to sleeving - especially is it drops her down a bore size. So, I will probably update that "for sale" thread given what I found out - and repost it at a lower price, or - more realistically - just keep her in my safe and shoot it on special occassions with my RST low pressure loads or removible gauge tubes?

My thanks again... Now you know why this thread has been of incredible interest to me....

John

So what some are kinda saying is some Parkers with Damascus barrels let the factory with 019 thickness we say is unsafe they say was ? Damascus gota Love it. NEVER MIND THIS I WENT BACK AND DID JOHNS MATH !

Buy a Manson gauge for a hundred bucks and measure the thing to death, John. Advertise it with the measurements you come up with and let them measure it after they send you the check. Have I told you about my friend who bought an absolutley screaming AAHE that was advertised at auction as "under safe wall dimensions" in the auction description? He bought it for about $10,000. It turned out to be an Abercrombie gun that had been ordered to weigh 6 1/2 pounds and was as right as rain. Today it is a $??? gun because of its rarity, originality, and high condition.

barrel wall thickness
 

Thanks everyone for the encouragement. And Dean, I did mean from the breech, not the muzzle. It was Sherman Bell's article, likely in the DGJ. I will do a search as it is something I need for my customers and friends alike. By the way, most are one and the same.

barrel wall thickness gauge
 

Bill M.

Tell me about the Manson gauge, and where can I see one? The problem I had with less expensive gauges was the ability to use them in the field and measure all the way rib to rib. I would like to see if this one would be useful outside the shop.

The reason I like the Hosford gauge compared to the big desk top gauge I had like Galazan sells, or the $150 gauge that I bought from Brownells, is that it is both portable and accurate. 4 different people could use a big desk top gauge we have all seen somewhere, and depending if they tilt the barrel or not, would likely come up with meaningful differences in measurement. Likewise, the only way I could get the little Brownells gauge to be consistent and usable was to hang it stationary from the ceiling and bring the barrels up from below. It was very touchy and difficult to get a good reading.

The Hosford gauge is simple and repeatable, and very portable. With 5 minutes of instruction and practice, 10 out of 10 would get the same measurement within a thou or so.

I hope the Manton is different, as I would like to have another tool!

Thanks again,

The Brow