Bore/Chamber Questions

[Bill Murphy]

Yeah, Bruce, what about those chambers? To be honest, I don't measure chambers because my bore micrometer doesn't go above .800. I just use the ammunition that will fit in there. I would use 12 gauge shells in the gun being discussed.

[Bruce Day]

Thanks Austin, Mike will be reviewing your post. It would be uncommon indeed if the gun is an 11ga hammerless, but never say never.

[Old and Reliable]

[QUOTE=Bruce Day;4811]Thanks Austin, Mike will be reviewing your post. It would be uncommon indeed if the gun is an 11ga hammerless, but never say never. For what it may be worth, as we have another section for "doubles other than Parkers" on our Forum- The 12 ga. HE Fox I once owned had heavier walled tubes than my friend's 12 BE with Krupp tubes-

George B. Evans apparently had TNB's second Burt Becker gun gauged, and the NBD was .750- in his lexicon, that was a "12 on the 11 gauge size, based on some British set of gauge and choke tables.

I never checked the chokes with I.D. mikes on that Fox- but I pattern tested it with the now-illegal for waterfowl Federal premium coppered lead No. 4 and No. 2-- very impressive.

One of many factors affecting the reaming tools used in the era of Damascus and Twist barrels may have been the overhead power shafting (steam driven?) and the belts and compound sheaves to vary the speeds- another may have been the nature of the cutting tools and the coolant compounds used back then.

Bruce, does your friend plan to shoot this older 12 or 11 ga. Damascus barreled gun with LP handloads?

[Austin W Hogan]

Francis; I remember those belts and pulleys well. My grandfather had a silk mill in Fonda NY that he built around 1920. It was powered by a huge electric motor rather than steam, but the shaft on the east side powered the warps and the 12 foot knitters, and the shaft on the west side powered the 16 foot knitters and his machine tools. He had casting and forging done outside, but he essentially built the knitting machines, and patented several innovations. Some of these remained in service after the demise of the northeastern textile industry, in a small custom silk shop through 1980.
I had a little machining experience as a GE Apprentice boy, and had a marvelous retired GE instrument maker in my group in later years. I wouldn't know where to start if someone gave me a piece of damascus to drill or turn. Slow and easy might not be careful enough; and it appears to me that the higher the grade, the more difficult, as the chips would become shorter. Maybe that is the reason a D6 barrel set cost as much as 5 VH's.

Best, Austin

[Austin W Hogan]

Bill; I have found a few oversize chambers as well. Chambers often rust from using wet paper shells, and cleaning out the rust will take out some wall as well. Chambers a little larger than standard was a plus on a rainy day with paper shells. Adjustable reamers were common tools in the days of wagon wheels.

Best, Austin

[Bruce Day]

55,337 was not in th e serialization book but we found that there are records on the gun so Mike is going to order a letter. That will be determinative.

Bill, I'm a little wary of putting shells in a gun where there is a loose fit in the chamber. Seems to me there is a substantial possibility of blow back. Most of these old guns are a little loose on the breach face anyway and I think that might make it worse. Powder flashing on a person's arm can't be good.

By the way, the latest issue of DGJ came today with another Sherman Bell article testing some real old beater damascus guns. As usual, he went to 18,000psi and parts were flying off and wood cracking but all the barrels held, even on the cheap Belgium clunkers. Hmmm, maybe I should get some of those 1 3/8oz 1500fps superdooper pheasant loads for this season and see what happens.

In truth, I have a lightweight upland 10 CH ( 2 frame) and I bought a case of 1 1/4 5's from Morris and Alex. Looking forward to the season.