Barrel Wall Thickness

[Joe Graziano]

I may have the opportunity to purchase a very nice old British 20 gauge. However, I am concerned about the minimum wall thickness, .018/.020 with fluid steel barrels. Obviously, no gun can be deemed safe until inspected by a competent gunsmith. But in general, what is acceptable?

[Kensal Rise]

In the UK, it is generally felt that any barrel thinner than .025 is unsafe.

BUT... that verdict can often be modified if you know WHERE the thin walls are. If it's anywhere from the breech out to the first 18 inches of barrel, they're scrap. If the thin bit is at the muzzle end, then they MAY be usable. But will dent very easily.

In any case, the purchase price must reflect these overly thin barrels.

And fluid steel makes no difference...

[Ken Hill]

Joe,

18 thou is getting thin. Although not required in the US, You should also check to see if the gun is still in proof. Eventually, you or someone related to you will sell the gun. The thin barrels will definitely impact the price. Here's a short article on thin barrels https://www.vintageguns.co.uk/articles/thin-barrels/.

Ken

[Bindlestiff]

Depends on where it's thin I guess. Out 18 or 20 inches will not get the pressure closer to the breach. But it's at the limits IMHO.

Even if it's safe to shoot it will be very, very vulnerable to denting. It will not take much to put a dent in a barrel that thin, a tap on a car door or another gun would cause a dent I'm sure.

[Joe Graziano]

Thanks, all! I will pass on the gun.