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.

Attachment 98343, The old girl.
Attachment 98344, Brass and solder on both sides.
Attachment 98345, 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.
Attachment 98374, Removing old brass.
Attachment 98376, Bar milling, or fly cutting set up.
Attachment 98377,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, :wtfsmilie: 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.
Attachment 98403,Two of the fore side spacers.
Attachment 98404, Fly cutting spacer true.
Attachment 98405, Job done.
Attachment 98406, 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 :thumbsup: 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:O_O:

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.:thumbsup:.
Attachment 98409, 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, ;),
Attachment 98441

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

Good stuff mate, very nice indeed.

Yep, you have to keep the old girls going, she has plenty of meat in those barrels, a lot of life left in her yet. I think I`m getting a new call for help, my next thread could be "How to cut a 45-70 chamber". watch this space.

Attachment 98445, Nice bores.
Attachment 98446, plenty of meat there.

Is that the new Adver for KIWI Alram:XD::P:cool:

You could quite easily sleeve in a couple of 45 barrels into one (not that one:D) make it into sxs 45-70 lol

Quote:

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Originally Posted by rambo-6mmrem

You could quite easily sleeve in a couple of 45 barrels into one (not that one:D) make it into sxs 45-70 lol

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I have 100 new .375WIN brass (30/30 necked up to .375) that would work


.................................................. .. and by the way you are a clever bugger:thumbsup:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mikee

I have 100 new .375WIN brass (30/30 necked up to .375) that would work


.................................................. .. and by the way you are a clever bugger:thumbsup:

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45-70 would aswell and it’s a bigger round :P:P:thumbsup::thumbsup:

I think it would be a gimmicky thing as even at 50m the barrels would have significant Poi Differences proper double rifles have a way to get both shooting in the same spot
Still be fun though

The baikal system using an adjusting screw l think is a smart solution to the regulation of both barrels. Now if they made one with exposed hammers I would be tempted.

How about sleeving it in 577 Snider or 450 Martini?

That would be cool

O flaming heck, I still need some new barrel stock and this time I may chamber them. But I`m heading into the bush for five days looking for some venison hot pot.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by rambo-6mmrem

You could quite easily sleeve in a couple of 45 barrels into one (not that one:D) make it into sxs 45-70 lol

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thats where the other .45 cal barrel this fine Gent made has gone......now in process of getting it chambered as gunshop (cant call them smiths anymore) have let me down...WHEN I get barrel back will try plan #B and failing that you could well see the "how to chamber barrel to .45/70 govt" as suggested earlier.
to say Im pis--- fuc--- really annoyed is putting it mildly.

not going to be SxS just a single with exposed hammer for bush hobbiting and smoking the odd wallaby when I source some black powder.

Perfect idea for a single shot bush gun on the cheap @Micky Duck
Could also get a buggered martini 303 and use that
The Restriction is that super long rounds like 500gn struggle to fit into the opening on a martini
But 405gn are fine and plenty of punch for the bush
Would leave all these new fangled 708’s 308’s etc etc for dead in the tight shit
They can get deflected buy the slightest bit of shit big slow movers just go oh well ill go through that and keep going

there was a bakail converted on trademe for last couple of weeks...$400 was a steal in my mind.... cant work out why it wasnt snapped up sooner. the bakails internal hammer and cocking lever make for very easy safe carry by decocking it. and yes I do own one in .12ga so maybe one day my insert when its finished might end up in it..... got to get it done first.... did I mention Im a little grumpy???

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Micky Duck

thats where the other .45 cal barrel this fine Gent made has gone......now in process of getting it chambered as gunshop (cant call them smiths anymore) have let me down...WHEN I get barrel back will try plan #B and failing that you could well see the "how to chamber barrel to .45/70 govt" as suggested earlier.
to say Im pis--- fuc--- really annoyed is putting it mildly.

not going to be SxS just a single with exposed hammer for bush hobbiting and smoking the odd wallaby when I source some black powder.

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Keep the other tube as a functional 12 gauge then it will be a cape rifle. The sort of thing for people who arent sure what theyll stumble across and want to be prepared for all eventualities.
Ive got a huski one in 16 gauge, and 9.3x57 brilliant bit of kit.

Marty thats an option Ive considered too.... not sure how YOGI might see it as I nearly always on public land...the old astra cyclope its going into has looser bore than my bakails so it will be only for that gun for the mean time....if I turned it down to fit Bakails it would have slack/wiggle room in the astra....which could be used for barrel moving to get 2 shooting to same POI..... thought was two wee grub screws at front of outer barrel to shift it slightly.......but then thought yeah nah much simple is much good,stick with single....mind you I do have smooth bore .45 long colt insert to slip in other barrel.....LOL.

Just got home from a bbq at @homebrew.357 ‘s house
Dinner was bloody Beautiful doug and your lovely wife thanks for having us
The shotgun is beautiful it now closes as doug says a chub safe i owe you😀

I still have a little bit of work to do to the foreend as the gun is a put together
Barrels are off a Different gun than the action the foreend has quite a large gap between it and the action coincidentally this means that the barrels swing down to far and the foreend metal hits the bottom of the action
So I ether need to extend the wood before the metal bit or extend the metal
I have a Neighbour who is an Experienced welder who could build up the metal but im wondering if it might be better to add some wood behind the metal to move it forward any ideas?

No don`t weld it, you would not get it back to fit, get it in the right position to see how much gap there is and make up a wedge of hard wood to fit in, but even then it will still hit on the action as that set of barrels has not got the stopping lug. So you must always open it slowly as when it hits that little screw holding the fore end on is going to pop out as there is no strong spring loaded catch assembly holding the fore end in place.

Got all the epoxy putty out
Put new stuff back in
Pushed forend on in the right spot while wet
To impress all the hook and Everything and took it back off
Let the putty go off it now fits perfectly just got to redrill the screw hole that was there slightly farther forward
Then it will fit nicely

Great stuff, don`t give it to much of a shock, the old girl may have a heart attack!.

good article in NZguns mag about loading for shotguns...including roll crimping shorter than normal loads.

Before
Attachment 100681
After
Attachment 100682

Not perfect but I don’t think it ever will be
Was sitting a little low on the barrel aswell so bedded it in with a little bit of need it putty