Wall Thickness Gauge

[Big Friend Ten (BFT)]

Patrick,

I own the Hofford barrel wall thickness tool. If operated correctly it will provide exact measurements time after time. If operated contrary to instructions it can provide inaccurate measurements. I believe those are usually larger than actual thickness.

Have you considered the buyer may have trying to make the barrels seem thin to reduce your sale price substantially? Little did know that just behind your friendly smile is a US Marine which when challenged, eliminates enemy though fire and maneuver. Or in that case, surely a glare from your eyes as sharp as a eagle focusing on ripping off a rabbits head! When caught off guard I instantly do the same. .

I think the bozo was simple a shister.

Mark

[PML]

Originally Posted by Mark Ouellette

Patrick,

I own the Hofford barrel wall thickness tool. If operated correctly it will provide exact measurements time after time. If operated contrary to instructions it can provide inaccurate measurements. I believe those are usually larger than actual thickness.

Have you considered the buyer may have trying to make the barrels seem thin to reduce your sale price substantially? Little did know that just behind your friendly smile is a US Marine which when challenged, eliminates enemy though fire and maneuver. Or in that case, surely a glare from your eyes as sharp as a eagle focusing on ripping off a rabbits head! When caught off guard I instantly do the same. .

I think the bozo was simple a shister.

Mark

thank you Mark, you made me laugh.

Patrick

[Dean Romig]

Patrick, one person's "thin" is another person's "safe to shoot."
Precise wall thickness measurements is the only thing we can base our opinions on, not someone else's declaration of "thin" and "not safe to shoot." At .730" and original finish , I would shoot your barrels sight unseen.





.

[edgarspencer]

A friend has a Hosford gauge, and I have one similar to Dr.Drew's. If operated as shown in his post, you will get an accurate measurement, though it can be tricky to "zero". Using either, a very light hand is required. A heavy fisted operator will deflect the rods and any reading will be suspect.

[Bill Anderson]

I have never had much interest in barrel wall gauges because I believe for the most part, but there exceptions for sure, that if the bores measure spot on or very close to factory bore diameter specs for a specific gauge, then I assume the barrel wall thickness is safe.

Bill

[edgarspencer]

Originally Posted by Bill Anderson

I have never had much interest in barrel wall gauges because I believe for the most part, but there exceptions for sure, that if the bores measure spot on or very close to factory bore diameter specs for a specific gauge, then I assume the barrel wall thickness is safe.

Bill

This may work very much against you because bore diameters varied greatly from early lifter guns and even later.
.729" may be considered the standard for 12 gauge but I know guns which measure over .750" and have never been touched.
You may err on the side of caution, and pass on a lovely gun that measures .740", assuming it had been honed eleven thous, you will loose out.

[Bill Anderson]

Originally Posted by edgarspencer

This may work very much against you because bore diameters varied greatly from early lifter guns and even later.
.729" may be considered the standard for 12 gauge but I know guns which measure over .750" and have never been touched.
You may err on the side of caution, and pass on a lovely gun that measures .740", assuming it had been honed eleven thous, you will loose out.

Not necessarily, if I know the bore diameter of a certain era of manufacturing states a bore of .750, then my bore gauge will confirm this for me. I said that I do not have much use for a "wall thickness" gauge if I know the bore diameter of the manufacturer at differernt points in production history, such as the lifter gun you mentioned. If I am looking at an American 20 gauge shotgun, for example, and find the bore between .612 and say .618 or .619, and I know they don't vary by .030, I see no use in a wall gauge if no pitting exists. Besides, I wouldn't own pitted guns in the first place. And if I believe I am looking a special "back bored" barrel I can always measure the inside of the bore and outside barrel diameter to give me a general wall thickness. True, not as thorough and complete as a top end wall gauge, but close enough to assess the safety of the barrels. And my collecting is but a couple, few guns a year so my methods will prevail.

Bill

[Leighton Stallones]

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[Big Friend Ten (BFT)]

Mark,

I wrote the above post in the dark of my deer blind. I thought it was Patrick's original post and I know he is a Marine reservist. Although I do not know you, the same may apply. Your initial reaction to the buyers BS may have scared him off.

[Bruce Day]

I do not speak to all barrels of various makes of shot guns, however, I do not own a wall thickness gauge and do not feel that I need to. I own a bore gauge from Brownell's and use that. I believe that if a barrel is at or near nominal ID for the gauge, then the barrel remains close enough to original specifications to use cartridges producing pressures for which the gun was intended. I believe I know general original wall thickness of Parkers for example sufficiently enough to conclude that an overbore of several thousands will not reduce wall thickness to dangerous thinness. It is only when the bore gauge shows a large deviation from nominal that I would be concerned.

I am not a dealer, table top or otherwise, not a seller and rarely a buyer. If I were a dealer of shot guns, I think I would find that many buyers would want to know wall thickness and some would not be comfortable in knowing only bore ID. I think it is great that some such as Jay Schachter state wall thickness.