Thread: Saving old shot guns life

I saw it laying on the bench with it`s old double Damascus barrels worn from long ago hunts. I picked it up, the barrels rattled in the action like an old taranaki gate, spare parts I through, but I felt a slight pulse, yes there was a faint heart beat, I couldn't let it die it had a story to tell. The slop in the barrels to action was brass and solder on the barrel locating lugs, I set the barrels up on my lathe and carefully fly milled of all of it on both sides and trued them up. Yep my usual #8 stuff, pic`s.

, The old girl.
, Brass and solder on both sides.
, My T/C tipped fly / milling set up.

Good gun for cowboy action

a project worthy of your considerable skills....I will look forward to updates.

Yes, black powder only I would say, although the barrels are marked nitro proof, but no. On the top of the 25" barrels is marked, " H C Holmes ( Late Riley V ) Made for G Stancer. Hull. The barrels are from another gun I think, will need a bit of work to fit, so someone is going to add to my beer supply!!!.

I need to up my game, I just use paper shims.

Paper shims!!, Jeees Whane,, I can just see the opening day, ranger permit sir, ok but why are you carrying so many toilet rolls!. The milling went good on the first side but had to use boring bar setup for the other side as had to keep the datum true.
, Removing old brass.
, Bar milling, or fly cutting set up.
,Its doing the job.

I was shown that by an old guy at the range over 20 years ago. If the action rattles when closed make greaseprooof cutouts to go around the lugs and add them till she locks up tight. More than 4 pieces and it was better as a wall hanger he reckoned.

You have to wonder, how they manage to make many modern firearms so ugly and boring. That old hammer-gun is definitely a thing of beauty . Growing up with side-by-sides, it took me a while to accept and appreciate u/o's, keep up the good work !

Yes will keep up the good work, but some might not think so the way I did it. So now with all the crap off the lugs I had to think of how to build them up again. Looking in my comeinhandy box I pull out an old Skill saw blade that had some chunks cut out of it, the steel is hard stuff so cut fore bits as my spacers. I ground and filed to shape of the lugs and drilled each one with a hole at the centre. I attached them to the lugs by ….ark welding, just a blob in the holes with s/steel rod, it runs in nicely, Horror!!, no, they were there to stay and to make things worse I did it on my lathe. I made absolutely sure my lathe was well protected, I didn't want to move the barrels as all lined up so I could mill the first side then use that to do the other side.
,Two of the fore side spacers.
, Fly cutting spacer true.
, Job done.
, other side.

interesting indeed.....skillsaw blades is a real brain wave.

@homebrew.357 do you have a barrel gauge to see what thickness you have left onhose barrels?
You might be surprised. In the states everyone runs for the hills when you talk about Damascus barrels most saying unsafe there going to blow up etc.
Here in the UK rock on old chap so long as you still have a good thickness in the side walls. I've seen many fine examples being shot, on shoots. God I hope they never bring in steel shot here as that would be the death to all old guns like this!

On a separate note I hope no one goes out and try's the paper trick

Well for me no, remember my T/C tipped rifling cutter, they are .059" thick so did the job nicely of getting the lugs up to the right size. Now with a lot of blue marking, filing and trying to fit I finally got the action to snap shut like a chub safe. I could feel the old girls heart beat coming back, she's going to get her old barrels dirty again..
, Her heart is beating again.

Well done Doug she looks brilliant

No, don`t have a barrel gage or any gunsmithing stuff, remember I`m just a hobby machinist, just like to get in there and give a hand. And Rambo I`m hoping to see one of there`s coming down my driveway, ,

Thought you were a Speaghits man Doug?
Yep this is my girl one of them I have a couple of old hammer guns both fire able the barrels on this are are nitro proof and I have fired light nitro loads even when it was loose
Mostly I use black powder loads though
This gun is English proofed and only chamberd for the old 2-1/2 shells so I need to handload or I can buy a light 2.5 shells from falcon called cowboy
This gun now fits right thanks to doug this gun was a put together meaning that the action and barrels are off 2 Different guns I think the guy who originally fitted up the action and the barrels did so with limited tools and knowledge
It was in fireable condition even so as when closed the greener gross bolt lock held everything solid
I brought this one because of the barrels it has a set of Damascus barrels which are in super good condition
I knew that I could shoot it(have done alot to) but i Realised that this was going to need some work
I also knew that I could probably get my neighbour (Welder) to build up the lugs and file to fit my self
But doug @homebrew.357would do a far better job so I asked him for a favour by the looks of the photos
Im glad I did I would have not done anywhere near as nice a job