Shotgun Repair

[Jsmith2211]

Not quite sure where to put this one, but i'll ask it in here, feel free to move if needed.

I've got my grandfather's old 1890s C H Maleham 12 bore, sat in a cupboard and i'd like to use it. However, it is in the safe because he decided to whack a sheep over the head with the stock and broke the stock, it is also missing a hammer (though i am told that is in the back of our safe, under decades of papers!). I'd like to take it somewhere to have it repaired, as it is quite a nice looking gun. It has damascus barrels and some quite nice engravings on the side, if the stock could be saved it would be OK but i am assuming it is going to need a new stock. Does anybody on here know any good places to take it in the taunton area of somerset? I also want to have the barrels checked over, as they are slightly pitted from rust. nothing major, but worth getting checked.

 

[startinghandle]

Firstly do you have shotgun certificate?
I would suggest you contact the Mid
Wales Shooting Centre and speak to Jonathon as he is expert with guns and he is tidy guy

 

[Exfarmer]

You can be certain that no one will certify a shotgun with Damascus barrels today. Best thing if you want to preserve it, is get the stock repaired take the works out and hang it over the fireplace

 

[Boysground]

Always worth a chat with Avalon guns in Street

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[C.J]

Ladbrook and Langton

 

[Wilksy]

It's possible to get it back to its former glory and as long as there is good wall thickness on barrels they will be fine, you could even get the chambers extended to take 2 3/4" cartridges it will need sending away for re proofing, but a good Smith can sort that and the restocking but it will cost far far more than the gun will ever be worth but if it has strong family sentimental value and you've got a decent chunk of spare money it would a lovely thing to do

 

[som farmer]

am i right in thinking, the art of making damascus barrels, has been lost, and new, cannot be made ?

 

[Exfarmer]

am i right in thinking, the art of making damascus barrels, has been lost, and new, cannot be made ?

Damascus steel which guns barrels are made of is not the same process. The name was hijacked by Sheffield steel makers who developed a product which had a similar surface effect. This process was forging layers of metal and hammering them to make the finished product. A process Still used by the Japanese to make their knives.
True damascus steel was probably first made in Southern India And spread across the East , It was used for making very hard swords etc and the process is not fully understood. It is believed organic matter was added to the crucible to add carbon at the end of the refining. High carbon steel is very good as it will take a very good edge, but needs regular sharpening

 

[Boysground]

If you get Amazon prime tv, James May did a series touring Japan. In one of the episodes he visited a Samurai Sword maker. I remember it takes a year to make 1 sword using the proper techniques. This one and the whole series is really worth watching.

I have my grandfathers old Damascus gun but sadly it is not worth restoring

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[Wilksy]

One other thing to bear in mind is the Basc five year plan to switch to non lead alternatives, if your barrels did pass reproof presuming they are proofed for nitro and not black powder, you might be limited to shooting bismuth through it which again is expensive, but as I said a good Smith will be able to advise how to proceed

 

[Dry Rot]

I was in a similar situation with my grandfather's damascus barrelled shotgun. I tripped over in the snow and the stock snapped. Someone suggested trying to see if it was covered under the house insurance. The insurers said it probably would be and to put in a claim. At the time, I sold gundogs and one of my clients was a gunmaker. Still unsure about the insurance, I got the gunmaker to give me a receipt for repairing the stock, even though he had not done the job! (I don't like spending money I don't have!).

Well, the insurers paid up and I gave the gunmaker the go ahead to repair the stock. He got a nice piece of walnut and did a very good job, skimming the barrels to take out pitting while he was at it. No, they can't make damascus barrels any more but a good gunmaker might be able to swap barrels from a scrapper or fit new ones. They can "sleeve" barrels, which is cutting the originals off forward of the breach and brazing on new or salvaged barrels. The latter is quite normal and almost indistinguishable from original. One point, I always use low powered ammunition in my old shotgun, just in case. After skimming, the barrels may need to be re-proofed.

 

[Boysground]

Friend of mine tripped walking between drives. He fell on his Grandfathers Purdy he had inherited and cracked the stock. Insurance paid for a new stock.

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[AJR75]

You'll struggle to beat the quality of work that this guy does:

James W Gibbs Gunsmiths

Gun Shop in Shoscombe

james-w-gibbs-gunsmiths.business.site

Has done some work for me in the past- the waiting list long but with good reason.

 

[Jsmith2211]

The stock is not entirely snapped. It has a bit missing but it is still holding together. My father did tell me that his guns stock was in a similar way and it might be able to be patched up with resin? I think the barrels would be OK, just want to have it checked.

 

[Boysground]

You'll struggle to beat the quality of work that this guy does:

James W Gibbs Gunsmiths

Gun Shop in Shoscombe

james-w-gibbs-gunsmiths.business.site

Has done some work for me in the past- the waiting list long but with good reason.

I know Jammer. Definitely a long waiting list but will do a top job

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[milkloss]

The stock is not entirely snapped. It has a bit missing but it is still holding together. My father did tell me that his guns stock was in a similar way and it might be able to be patched up with resin? I think the barrels would be OK, just want to have it checked.

if it hasn't had a hard life then the barrels will probably be ok. When you get them checked just make a note of which cartridges you should be using in the gun. 2 3/4" in an old gun is a bit much imo.

A good bodge on the stock will most likely be good enough by the sounds of it.

 

[som farmer]

there are some really good glues about, should be able to stick together, if not to slpintered.
have been shown shot guns, on the som levels, you wouldn't want to be near, if fired, barrels are that thin, but, that also shows, how thin, they can get, before exploding ! But, my advice, be safe !

 

[sahara]

Talk to the gun shop in Wivey, im sure they will be able to help.

 

[Jsmith2211]

Talk to the gun shop in Wivey, im sure they will be able to help.

are they good? I've heared some bad things about UK Gun Repairs which is the other shop nearby. never really had dealings with either, apart from when i went to the afformentioned shop, where I was told not to shoot my old yeoman because of the dent in the barrel. They quoted 300 quid to do that, which is more than the gun is worth, so that is back in the safe as well. I went to the wivvy one and i cant remember their quote but it was definitely less money. Somebody did say to me that UK Gun Repairs had been known to overcharge people for simple work that didn't really need doing, but i dont know how true that is. Anybody had dealings with them or the wivvy shop? I was told that the dent in the barrel (which is 2 or 3 inches from the end) could cause the barrel to explode, and so ive not shot it - i had been shooting it with this dent for a few months beforehand mind... Either it is actually fine, or im very lucky to be here. This is partly why i want to have the maleham's barrel checked over, having potentialy had a close call before.

 

[Larel]

A few years ago now, about 1999 I bought a Damascus hammer gun at a furniture sale at the local mart. I paid £20 for it and didn't look like it was worth that much. I took it to a local gunsmith and he looked it over. The end of the barrels were split, it had a crack half way down one barrel, there was about 1mm of play between the barrels and the breech when shut. There was so much oil on the stock it looked black. Proof marks were for black power.
The gunsmith cut 1/2" of the length of the barrels to remove the splits. A local eng firm TIG welded the crack half way up the barrel. He reamed the barrel chokes to true cylinder (to make it pass proof easier). manufactured and replaced the hinge pin, steamed the stock to remove soaked in oil. Machined out the breach to take 2 3/4" cartridges. Sent it to Birmingham proof house 3 times before it passed. (Failed first time because they said the chambers were to short, second time because it bulged the barrels. He hammered and drifted them back to shape and it passed nitro proof for 2 3/4" cartridges on 3rd attempt. Then he rebrowned the barrels and finished the stock recutting the chequering. Now looks a stunning gun, was it worth it? I think so! The gunsmith I used is at the other end of the country from you but I'm sure he'd give you a price for it!