Thin-walled 20ga Sharon?

[Lonegun1894]

I picked up what I believe is a "Franken-gun". If I have identified the parts correctly, it is a Lyman Deerstalker stock, with a cap lock (and I'm not sure if the lock itself is a Lyman or a TC), and has two barrels fitted to it. The first is a TC, marked with .50 caliber, but not model of rifle, and is rifled as normal and with iron sights. The other, and the one that has my curiosity up, is marked with nothing but "Sharon- 130", and is 29" long, smooth-bored, with no choke, and measures .620", so a 20ga. It is 15/16" octagon until it reaches the tip of the forearm, and then is round the rest of the lenght to the muzzle, and has just a bead up front for a sight. Do you all think I should be worried about a 15/16" barrel with a .620" bore drilled in it? I keep thinking it should be fine for at least light loads such as you would use for dove, rabbit, squirrel, etc, but might be better kept away from heavier loads like many of us use for turkey, geese, etc. Any thoughts or suggestions? Load recommendations?

 

[bubba.50]

can't really answer yer question but, i have seen the twenty gauge barrels on Investarms guns with all the proper Italian markin's. some said "20 caliber" instead of 20ga and a Spanish company(Toledo Arms I think) made 12ga barrels to fit T/C Renegades.

 

[Lonegun1894]

I found a listing where Sharon used to offer a 28" long 20ga smoothbore barrel up until the company went out of business in 1978 that was a drop-in for the TC Hawken, so that must be what I have.

 

[Lonegun1894]

Bubba,
I remember someone here mentioning those, but had forgotten about them til you said something. Thank you very much! If more than one company was making them, then at least it's less likely that these were a bad idea.

 

[nwtradegun]

Sharon was a top of the line barrel maker. they made drop in barrels like green mt. used to. there is no problem using normal 20 ga. loads in it. I have seen the barrel alone selling for 300 dollars.

 

[azmntman]

last week I saw a sharon 12GA kit on GB for sale. Tempting but.............. :idunno: Said not for amature builder though looked well inletted etc.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Sharon was a top of the line barrel maker. they made drop in barrels like green mt. used to. there is no problem using normal 20 ga. loads in it. I have seen the barrel alone selling for 300 dollars.

Agree. But he seems to have a bit of a mystery attached to that barrel. Probably best for him to measure, or have done, the thickness of the barrel walls to help determine safety. To me, a gun designated "light loads only" is a bomb waiting to go off.

 

[Archer 756]

:hmm: Any proof marks

 

[Lonegun1894]

Rifleman1776,
It isn't marked "light loads only", but was just me doing the math after it measured 15/16" across the flats and coming up with about .158" sidewall thickness on the octagonal part, and just slightly less on the round part, but pressures should be VERY low by the time the charge reaches the round part so that isn't as concerning.

Frenchman,
Anyway, just pulled the barrel to check if I missed any markings. Looking at the bottom flat where it joins the breech plug and barrel, there is a "130-130 .SHARON" when the muzzle is pointing to my right as I am looking at it. The first "130" is on the breech plug. The "-" is on the seam between the plug and the barrel, like a witness mark. Then there is the "130 .SHARON" on the barrel itself. There are no other marks on the barrel anywhere. Does that help in any way?

 

[ray j.]

A while back I purchased a new old stock Sharon barrel In .660 or 16ga. drop in for my T.c. . Didna get a ramrod with it, going to get one made up by Track when iget me rounds to it.. :wink:

 

[Zonie]

Just as a point of reference, the breech area on my CVA 12 guage double measures 1 inch, outside diameter.

1" - .729 (12 guage bore) = .271

Half of .271 = .136 wall thickness.

Your 15/16" breech with a 20 guage bore in it should be fine. :grin:

By the way, shotguns develop much lower chamber pressures than rifles. That's why rifles need thicker barrel walls.

 

[Lonegun1894]

Zonie,
I know shotguns develop much less pressure, regardless if ML of modern, usually closer to the 9-12K CUP level, but that little thin wall just always made me stop for a second. Deep inside I know you're right, but after dealing with heavy barrels for all these years, a shotgun barrel looks like it might as well be made of a couple rolled up sheets of paper.

 

[rich pierce]

You could measure the breech diameter of a modern 20 ga in front of the receiver. You might me surprised. Yes I know the Sharon isn't 4140 chromoly but it might still give you pause. Like how do they dare shoot those modern things?

 

[Joel Lehman]

I have the same barrel. It was bought in the early 80's. My dove load is the same as I use in my fowler, 80 grains 3f and 1 3/8 ounces shot. I also shoot a patched 600 ball with 80 grains of 2 or 3 f. The barrel is a high quality. The only problem I have had is getting it to drop into the TC Hawken Stock. It is a tight fit.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Rifleman1776,
It isn't marked "light loads only", but was just me doing the math

Regardless, somewhere during the life of that barrel/gun an idiot is going to come into possession of it and will say "it ain't blowed up yet, lets put in a heavy load". :shocked2: That is my concern.

 

[Lonegun1894]

Rifleman1776,
It isn't marked "light loads only", but was just me doing the math

Regardless, somewhere during the life of that barrel/gun an idiot is going to come into possession of it and will say "it ain't blowed up yet, lets put in a heavy load". :shocked2: That is my concern.

That logic could be applied to all guns, ML and modern, and so therefore we should never buy any used gun.