The more I think about that barrel the more I believe those Winchester long beard shells may have been at fault. They use new technology that may not be compatible with the old shotgun's we love. They may have lead shot but that resin plus 1 7/8 oz of shot may just be a formula for disaster.

This is more great advice. Called them today. Thx

This is what I feared all along. I’m very cautious with my Damascus barrels and only shoot RST in everything else. I guess I figured modern ammo was ok in my Winchester magnum. Wrong by me.

Hi, not sure I understand your comment here. “We tried.?” Thx for clarification

Actually these would go to our local sheriff who has a system of disposing of unused ammo.

Galazan repair work
 

I've had to send this one to Galazan's after some of the others had their try.
Now, no problems.
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Holy moly- what a gun! Thx for sharing

My original post about the bridging of the Tungsten Matrix was on the assumption that they were used to kill the turkey. But do I understand that the Winchester shell did the damage? Either way, one or the other did or started the damage previously. If you had shot some of the Kents before in that barrel, the splitting could have been started by the large shot and the unforgiving resin packed Long Beards XRs finished it off.

But if you want to dispose of the shells, send them my way. They'll go through my Browning BPS, Franchi 912 Variomax, or Beretta Xtrema sewer pipes just fine.

Rick, my comment was disappointment that you didn't try to establish cause by dismantling the shells to determine whether the shot had bonded into a mass or to determine whether the powder charge was equal in all the shells in the box. I am very sympathetic to your situation. I have been trying to buy a cheap damaged set of Model 21 barrels for years, to mate with my cutaway Model 21, without success.

Larry, can you tell us about your pictured gun? It is outrageous in its engraving. Who did it?