Is this to thin to be safe?

[Dean Weber]

This has been an interesting topic for me for years and I have kept a log of all guns I have measured. I believe the OP is getting reasonable and valid responses from others.

That said I have always been amazed at some of the measurements I have found (using Hosford gauge) on original chambered guns between chamber and forcing cone. Here are a few which cause me to ponder my personal limits since I would consider these original chamberings.

**Measured at point between chamber and forcing cone

1894 Parker (Dam) 16 gauge, 0 frame, 2 1/2 ch - .070/,075
1923 Parker (fluid) 16 gauge, 1 frame, 2 1/2 ch - .084/.084
1905 Parker (Dam) 16 gauge, 0 frame, 2 1/2 ch - .088/.096
1902 Parker (Dam) 20 gauge, 0 frame, 2 1/2 ch - .086/.089
1920 Parker (fluid) 20 gauge, 0 frame, 2 1/2 ch - .080/.097

I am in no way giving advice on personal limits. I am just pointing out there are original Parker small bores out these which would not conform to some of our personal limits.

[B. Dudley]

Shooting a gun does not wear down the wall. The walls get thinned out either by honing, backboring, exterior refinishing or… they were just made that way.

An obstruction will blow out a thin walled barrel and also a heavy walled barrel.

You need to get measurements at other more critical locations on the barrel set to make a completely informed decision.

[Cold Spring]

Here's a pic that follows on my post of yesterday. C-Grade Fox 12 ga with Krupp steel barrels, honed oversize by a hacker despite agreeing to a lesser overbore. Before the work he claimed to have a precision Sunnen hone but miking after the work showed an irregular succession of thin spots here and there. Wall thickness on this tube was .018" at the leade of its choke, and less that 50 shots with lighter factory ammo caused the bulge with its heavy choking. The other barrel was .020" thickness and it also bulged. As I'd posted .... lesson learned on thin barrel walls; and who to trust work to. After this episode all my necessary bore honing has been done by Briley.
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[Clark McCombe]

So, plan is to get a Hosford gauge, measure barrels, especially those where the chambers are 2 3/4, and not have any more work done to them.
Shooting them will not wear them out.
Use only light loads, even in repro Parkers.
As I am learning, heavier really doesn’t mean any better to break a clay.

[Double Lab]

Originally Posted by Clark McCombe

So, plan is to get a Hosford gauge, measure barrels, especially those where the chambers are 2 3/4, and not have any more work done to them.
Shooting them will not wear them out.
Use only light loads, even in repro Parkers.
As I am learning, heavier really doesn’t mean any better to break a clay.

Now you got it. Especially the not needing heavy loads to break a target and beat your shoulder.