re-proofing a shotgun

[bobjs]

Anyone done this before ?

I have been given a old side by side as a gift from a guest at the castle, but it will need re-proofing before I can use it.

1, not being a shotgun person does the re-proof need to be done.

2, if yes where and how much does it cost to have this done,

thanks

bob.

 

[Ray7756]

Why do you think it needs reproofed ?? Has it had some work done on it , or is the proof marks for black powder and not nitro powder, safest way is take it to a gunsmith and ask him, i have an old hammer gun with damascus barrels which i bought as a conversation piece but have since got my BP licence so will be reloading some cartridges and using the old cannon at the clays
Ray

 

[paul o']

Is BP or N proofed Bob , I payed £45 trade vie a pal to get a rife proofed drove to London at silly o'clock sorted . give them a call very helpful guys .
The Worshipful Company Of Gunmakers ·
Proof House 50 Commercial Rd, London E1 1LP
phone : 020 7481 2695

 

[Heym SR20]

Anyone done this before ?

I have been given a old side by side as a gift from a guest at the castle, but it will need re-proofing before I can use it.

1, not being a shotgun person does the re-proof need to be done.

2, if yes where and how much does it cost to have this done,

thanks

bob.

Bob,

i would pop in to Bozzards and get Phil Smith to look at it. Easy enough to measure wall thickness and to see if it's still tight. Home

 

[straightpull6547]

Bob,

i would pop in to Bozzards and get Phil Smith to look at it. Easy enough to measure wall thickness and to see if it's still tight. Home

His name is Phil Turner.

 

[ileso]

Shouldnt need reproofing unless it has new barrels... *or am i wrong?

 

[bobjs]

cheers Guys

I think its had new barrels at some point (but I will confirm) the 12 bore side by side was built by chambers of Andover way back when the pope was a baby and its just a keep sake as the chap who owns it is retiring and I would like to keep it gong here at the estate,

regards for now and ill let you all know tomorrow what's what when I can have a good look at it,

bob.

 

[welshwarrior]

Take it to a gunsmith if it's not good and tight etc the proof house will refuse to proof fire it and fail it.

 

[bobjs]

Take it to a gunsmith if it's not good and tight etc the proof house will refuse to proof fire it and fail it.

cheers bud,

ill check it all tomorrow as it's at work

bob

 

[geoffrey]

gun proof

Hi Bob,
have a look at the barrels and next to the proof mark there should be a number on each barrel typically .718 inches, if the barrels are measured approx 9 inches from the breech and they are no bigger than 10 thou of the .718 the gun is still in proof, it should take a gunsmith no longer than ten minutes the measure the bores.

 

[bobjs]

Hi Bob,
have a look at the barrels and next to the proof mark there should be a number on each barrel typically .718 inches, if the barrels are measured approx 9 inches from the breech and they are no bigger than 10 thou of the .718 the gun is still in proof, it should take a gunsmith no longer than ten minutes the measure the bores.

Hi G

thank you for that Sir

I will have a look today, just getting ready for public opening so meetings about meetings about meetings

bob.

 

[Heym SR20]

Jack Rowe - sadly no longer with us - has wonderful series of videos on Brownells Website. Huge amount of knowledge of old British made guns. There are some good ones of how to check over a shotgun to see fundamentally whether or not it is in proof.

 

[enfieldspares]

1. Proof. Requiring a gun to be currently "in proof" applies ONLY to weapons sold, displayed for sale or let on hire. It does NOT apply where a weapon is GIVEN.

2. Current requirements AFAIR now require barrels be struck off when a gun is submitted for re-proof. So that will then involve a re-black of the barrels when it comes back.

3. Proof is, in some ways, a nonsense. All bores of a cylinder wear. The bores of your barrel are no different to the bores of the engine of your car.

So that the bores have enlarged by 10 thousandths of an inch does not per se make the gun dangerous. As long as the rest is sound and good.

As long as the WALL thickness of the barrels is adequate the gun will, even though not "in proof" be perfectly and totally safe. As long as the rest is sound a good.

That rest being sound and good is so important I've repeated it twice!

As an extreme example the barrels of a Greener GP are massively thick. You could enlarge the bore by ten, fifteen, twenty thou and it would STILL be hugely over engineered.

Yet my the nonsense of the Proof Act it'd be no longer "in proof". I see thinner scaffold tubes than barrels on Greener GP guns!

4. Proof marks changed over the years. The gun may have earlier era marks than .719". Here's the equivalents.

12/1 = .740"; 12 = .729"; 13/1 = .719"; 13 = .710". Current proof marks, even in UK will be Metric.

Hope it helps.

5. Ignore this 10 thou twaddle of the Proof "regime". Check the WALL thickness and overall barrel condition for, if the barrels are sound, on the face, the ribs well in place, and the firing pins correct..it's good to use and safe to use.

Any good GUNSMITH (not any Tom or Dick with an RFD) will advise both if the gun is "in proof" and, that notwithstanding, if it is, irrespective of its proof status...if it is SAFE.

 

[Sighthound]

Bob,

Give Mark Crudgington a call at Gibbs Riflemakers, given your location he is just up the road from you at Wootton Rivers, a bit nearer than Bozards.

 

[bobjs]

cheers lads,

great help,

well the gun was given to me by its retired owner, so it is now on my ticket ( or will be tomorrow) i will check it all at some point later as i am up to my neck getting ready for a 21 day stint at work so i have a tad more than normal to be getting ready,

great help,from a some top people, thank you

bob.

 

[enfieldspares]

Here's a link to Diggory Haddoake's site with the metric sizes too:

Proof Sizes : Vintage Guns

 

[bobjs]

View attachment 81707View attachment 81703View attachment 81702View attachment 81700View attachment 81704View attachment 81705View attachment 81706


here you go lads.

30" side by side.
double trigger
ejector,

made by E. Chamberlin

marked as follows. on each barrel.

13. crown above NP, crown above BP, crown above Bv, diamond with number 12,c in it, Nitro proof, then choke 1,1/8th that's from 1904 to 1925, seems it may need reproofing

bob.

there are 2 more marks on the very base of the barrels (underside but I cant read them but its a crown over what looks like FJ.

thanks

 

[bobjs]

Bob,

Give Mark Crudgington a call at Gibbs Riflemakers, given your location he is just up the road from you at Wootton Rivers, a bit nearer than Bozards.

thank you

popping down to see mark in a few weeks with both my new rifle and this shotgun

regards all and thanks

bob.

 

[Pedro]

Can't add much to what's already been said. A couple of things to mention though Bob. You probably know, but I thought I'd mention them anyway. Firstly, check the chokes on it before you even think of putting any steel shot through it (need to be half choke or less to prevent barrel damage/excess wear). Secondly check what length the chambers are. It's possible it'll only fit 2 1/2" (65mm) cartridges.

Other than that, looks like a nice, light gun to carry around all day if you need to. Maybe it's your flash on the camera/phone, but it looks like most of the blue has come off the back end of the barrels. So you could rectify that, but maybe that's just fine the way it is, personal taste there I guess.

 

[kuksmith]

two points - Not sure that I agree with Enfieldspares - a firearm must be in proof if it is transferred - giving is transferring.

Secondly - if you want to re-blue, take care since an ewngish gun is likely to have soldered ribs whereas a modern or European made gun is likely to have brazed ribs. You can unsolder the ribs by Hot Blueing.