Shotgun Barrel Corrosion

[Cajun72]

So looking over this old sxs shotgun.
What determines barrel thickness and safety to be shot? Hard to get a good photo. Both barrels have some corrosion and pitting. End of barrels at muzzle seem thin. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Felonious]

That really doesn't look too bad. How does the rest of the gun look?

 

[Cajun72]

Has some wear but not horrible.

 

[Felonious]

Most of that looks like light surface rust. I'd give it a good cleaning and function check, then work up your load starting small just to be safe.

 

[Cajun72]

I shot it yesterday with a light load, it seemed ok, no damage. But one nipple split.

 

[Felonious]

I shot it yesterday with a light load, it seemed ok, no damage. But one nipple split.

Knight makes some really good nipples. I have a set of their Red Hot's that have had a few hundred rounds put through them, and there's still about as good as they were from the factory. They also greatly improved my ignition rate.

 

[andy52]

Bore hones are pretty cheap about 30 bucks or so.
They will clean the bore to a mirror finish if the pitting isn't too deep.

 

[Cajun72]

What grit do you suggest?

 

[Robin101]

I bought a barrel hone from Brownell's, it came with three different grit stones. Worked like a champ.
Robin

 

[Cajun72]

I am thinking of relisting the shotgun as a wall hanger? Don't know if I trust to keep trying to shoot it? Thoughts or opinions? I will make someone a good deal?

 

[WALT53]

I am thinking of relisting the shotgun as a wall hanger? Don't know if I trust to keep trying to shoot it? Thoughts or opinions? I will make someone a good deal?

Rob Miller has a post on the smoothbore section on polishing up a dirty barrel it just night be what you need to do .Sure would be worth a try and probably wouldn’t hurt at all..

 

[snakebit]

Are the barrels choked? Maybe just cut a couple three inches off, that looks the worst, and refinish the barrel and hone them like Andy said. Use the Skychief load and go cut loose on one of them big swamp gobblers youins have down there this spring.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

Are the barrels choked? Maybe just cut a couple three inches off, that looks the worst, and refinish the barrel and hone them like Andy said. Use the Skychief load and go cut loose on one of them big swamp gobblers youins have down there this spring.

Don't do this.

 

[Relic shooter]

1st, NEVER shoot any original percussion firearm until the old nipples are 'properly' replaced with new nipples.
Hard to say without having it checked by a qualified BP gun mechanic but you may have a good shooter after giving the bores a good cleaning & proper inspection to determine condition of the locks, bores, breech area, ribs, etc..
Note; In one side view photo I could see daylight between the breech area & the wood, that gap should be glass bedded to prevent the wood from splitting.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

Run some steel wool on a jag down it first, 0000 and see how it looks. If it's good, spin some new nipples in there and have at it.