Barrel work ???
 

My 1886 12 ga. top lever hammer is a 1 frame D grade 28" cyl/cyl. I've been ISO a second set of barrels with either fuller chokes or other gauge and came across a set that are 12 ga. 1 frame 30" grade 0 plain twist with a serial number not to far off from mine. Barrel muzzle is said to be slightly bent, but usable and needs slugging. Barrel is under $100. A couple of questions: 1) What gunsmith can be recommended to restore this barrel, i.e. slug, straighten, refinish? 2) If not the fuller choke that I want, could this barrel be re-sleeved to a 16 or 20 ga? 3) Am I wasting my money to pursue this idea? It would be good to hear your thoughts or from someone that has gone through a similar experience. Thanks.

if you go as far as sleeving- you could likely buy a gun in the grades that wore twist tubes for what you will have in it

even fitting it to another gun, along with repairs and choke work would be cost prohibitive IMHO

and just curious -- why would you slug a shotgun barrel?

Current owner says barrel should be slugged. I don't know much about slugging a barrel other than what I've read online. I'd want to get a gunsmith's point of view prior to doing any work. The $100 cost may be worth spending to get an estimate of work.

'Slugged' is a new term for me - never heard it used before. What does it mean please?






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Apparently it's a process of pushing a metal ball of same or slightly larger diameter through the barrel to smooth the inside. This process seems more widely used with pistols and rifles than shotguns. Personally, I don't know why you would do it on a shotgun.

There are more precise (read: precision) methods of raising dents.





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As indicated, your extra barrel set could be a bargain, or a money pit. In any case, the man you should get the barrels evaluated by is Kirk Merrington. Check his prices before going in with both feet:

http://www.merringtongun.com

slugging is a process used for rifle barrels - a bore diameter lead slug is made- and used with a lapping compound to clean up a rifles bore - because it mates to the grooves and lands it evens up a rough bore, and sometimes to polish them for accuracy

since the slug is poured from a lead alloy- which will deform to some extent when pushed against dents - i see no use for the process in a shotgun barrel

and if you "slugged" with a piece of hard metal of equal or larger bore diameter - its my opinion you would compound the damage

dents can be raised with a series of metal plugs starting with one at the most narrow spot working up to full bore- but you still push some material forward not straight back up, which IMHO is the best option

Really?

Really!

Slugging is (was?) routinely used in finishing shotgun barrels for repeaters (single barrels). On a tour of the Ithaca factory years ago, I watched a lady operate a machine that forced a rotating lead slug spinning slowly on a shaft (literally, shaped exactly like a rifled slug) back and forth through the barrel the length of the bore. After two passes, she pulled the barrel out of its fixture and inspected it visually. She said the process helped to polish the bore as well as "move" (I assume by swaging) any tiny imperfections left by the 'Roto Forge."

thanks Kevin

i would have assumed final polish would have been done with an extra fine flex hone polisher

although imperfections might be easier to correct than dents

I would think copper, brass, or bronze would have been far more effective than lead..... unless the lead residue filled in such imperfections that could otherwise be easily seen by looking through the bore.





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The manufacturing process that Kevin saw, I believe, was a lapping process used to produce a micro-finish bore. Lead is used for the lap as it can be easily CHARGED with the lapping compound. Using mandrels in various sizes can be tedious but will produce good results. I'm sure any of the restorers mentioned on this sight will have a dent-raiser which is much more efficient. Screw-in-chokes are a possibility if you have sufficient wall thickness Mono-blocking may be a good investment if it brings you an improvement to your shooting life, however, if you expect to recover many of the dollars you invested at a later date I predict you will be disappointed.

If a Damascus barrel has enough wall thickness can thin wall choke tubes (like Briley's) be installed?

Heathen :rotf:

Lead slug
 

Lapping is an old method that used to be used in guns that is accurate but labor intensive. a Sunnen hone can deliver a superior surface with 2 ten thousands accuracy. These are expensive but not to be confused with a automotive flex hone repurposed to hone barrels that leaves a barrel shiny but
varies 8 or ten thousands along the bore.

You can contact Briley and ask them.

Heathen...I've been called much worse. Especially by my setter Max. I'm looking for a second set of Damascus barrels so my top lever can be used for more hunting situations than the cyl/cyl original barrels. i am the fourth generation family member to own this top lever so I'm not going to bastardize what I already have. By the way, Max cursed me after only nailing one dove today.