G grade 12ga. never fired

[Russell Parker]

Good evening,
I have a G grade Damascus barrel. I don't think it has ever been fired. Mirror Bores. How do I find out if safe to shoot? I would like to use it for Waterfowl/pheasant . Has one small ding on side of left barrel. What is the best recommendation for loads for this gun?
Thanks!!!

[Dean Romig]

Mirror bores on a gun exhibiting that much wear are certainly very suspicious. The bores have quite possibly been honed and polished.

We highly recommend that you have the barrel wall thickness measured by an expert to determine if the barrels are within specs for safe shooting.





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[Bill Murphy]

It's been fired. Nice gun.

[Bill Bates]

Been fired and someone was a bit ham handed with a screw driver when they got inside it. I suspect the bores have been honed or maybe just well cared for by the former owner.

[Mills]

Mirror bores on an old gun are a red flag for honing and a red flag for getting the wall thickness checked.

Bill is right that that gun has been fired and probably many times

[Bruce Day]

I don't get to see very many pristine and unshot old guns so its always interesting.

I have just an old beater G that has been shot many times. I know that because of the shell base imprints on the standing breech. It has shiny bores because it was cleaned after use. I don't have a wall thickness gauge and I am no expert, but I did measure the ID of the bores and they are right on for the gauge, so I know they have not been honed. I know that these 2 frame 12's had an original wall thickness of .035 to .045 down the barrels, so I figure I will risk it.

Here are a few pictures including a couple boxes of what I shoot through the old G and a Parker table of recommended loads at the time your gun was made. I usually shoot lighter loads because I don't want to whack my shoulder but these loads are for waterfowl and for late season, wild, plains pheasant that we have out here.

[Fishtail]

Yeah.....mirror bores could mean they've been honed, but it just as likely could be that someone always cleaned the bores of this gun which has been fired plenty.

[Russell Parker]

Thanks for the info, much appreciated. I will have the gun checked before using.

[Ed Blake]

What led you to believe it was unfired? Just curious.