To cut or not to cut
 

If you had a full / full choked rainy day shooter, with a bulge in the left barrel about 1 1/2 inches back from the muzzle, that still threw acceptable patterns, would you leave the barrels alone or cut them back? If the remaining choke is not an issue, do you think the bulge would eventually cause problems such as rib separation? And personally speaking...which condition would make you less likely to purchase such a gun ( assuming the price was right )?

Depends on the bulge, the value of the gun, and probably a couple other things I'm forgetting.
I'd send it to a barrel smith for an opinion.

Very dependent on where it is, but bulges can be tapped back down, cutting it off will forever alter the value and originality. Proceed slowly.

Sometimes a bulge in a fluid steel barrel is easier to tap back down than a bulge in a pattern-welded composite barrel tube. The stretching of the composite material may cause tiny separation cracks along the joints between the iron and the steel.




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What Dean said but remember, they can often be repaired and refinished and completely unnoticeable and fully functional . Where the damage is described to be there shouldn't be much pressure , I would contact Parker at Bachelders and have him take a look at it before cutting the barrels ! Once cut they can never be reattached !Just my Opinion .

Austin, after rereading your post, I have changed my mind on what you should do. Since you describe a gun which has little or no collector value shoot it as is or if the chokes don't suit your shooting cut the barrels. A gun as you describe would not warrant the repair cost associated with making a proper repair. Remember this Austin if you acquire this gun that that bulge is a weak point in the barrels since the metal has already yielded.

Craig, I'm confused, he never said what the gun was so how do you know it doesn't warrant the cost of repair. Did I miss something?

Along the lines of what others have said, send the gun to Bachelder's and see what they say.

Austin, you might be surprised at how bulges and dents can be removed, especially near the muzzles where the bbls are thinner. I removed over 20 dents and bulges from a beater LC Smith a few years ago and you cannot tell that it was ever done.... and I'm no expert at it. The only part of a bulge that you can't remove is when it projects into the space between the bbls and under the rib, something I've only seen near a muzzle. No way I'd cut those bbls without attempting to repair the bulge, even if it did leave a bit in the middle.

Eric, Austin described the gun as a " full/full rainy day shooter" which means it isn't a 90% VH or even close TO ME. Since Austin did not indicate his wiliness to do his own repairs, as many that participate on this forum do not, I had to assume he would seek a competent gunsmith to make repairs/modifications. Having a poor description of the guns condition and a little better description of the bulge, I thought my response was reasonable