Proof Marks

[northernlightsflyer]

I recently listened to a discussion on Proof Marks and how a lot of foreign makers do not check all the guns just mark them.
Is this a common practice? If so how do es one determine if a gun is safe to fire.

[Dphariss]

I would like to see the documentation that shows that the Gov't proof houses only proof a gun or two from a production run.
 

I don't think the various laws allows this.
But people selling cheap junk would like to believe this or rather would like the buyer to believe it.

Dan

[Z. Buck]

flyer, this may be true in india, etc but i have never heard that suggested about the british, or dutch, etc european proofhouses where they have strict laws on proof. the way they proof barrels isnt all that time consuming so there is no reason why they wouldn't proof every one, as far as guns made in non-proof law areas (the U.S.) you can more or less be assured of the safety of guns by fear of lawsuits, occasionally things go wrong which is part of the reason i never buy a gun in the first couple years of manufacture (who wants factory new guns anyways?) when speaking just of barrels for building muzzleloaders, any of the big names build barrels that will be just fine as long you dont do anything wrong to them, these guys have years of experience and expertise

[JCKelly]

Assuming you meant new made muzzle-loaders, and not antiques, the safest are those made by Pedersoli.  They have been making guns for a long time & appear to understand both design and use of proper materials.

Guns made by small shops do not have this background, no centuries of experience, no engineering knowledge.

Indian guns use hard-drawn seamless (you hope) tubing. I believe they are shipped with the touch-hole not drilled, which should tell you something.

These things do make a big bang. Once in a while they make a bigger bang than anyone anticipated.

Buy Pedersoli or Caywood.  Dixie has some decent stuff also.