Original Flintlock Double Fowling Piece Barrels - Do folks build on these?

[Marcruger]

A serious question folks.  Do builders ever use original barrels?  My friend with the LePage also received a set of barrels clearly not for the LePage.  They are a 34" double set of 28 gauge smoothbore barrels with touch holes.  Clearly not recent.  They have proofmarks, but I have no idea what they mean.  He is wondering if they are junk or if folks actually build around these? My comment was that I would sure proof them before building a gun around them.  Any advice is appreciated.  God Bless,   Marc

[t.caster]

Yes we do if they are in good shape, and those appear very useable on first look. Of course careful inspection is warranted. I am certain somebody will want these!

[Daryl]

Taylor did for this 12 bore.

[Marcruger]

Many thanks folks.  I will check with a bore light and see how the insides look.  Ran patches with Breakfree CLP down the bores, and those came back clean with no snagging either.  Best wishes, Marc

[Daryl]

A bore light will help. Seems to me, Taylor ran a reamer of some sort down these bores. I don't remember if he got that adjustable reamer from me or not??
I don't seem to have one, anymore.

[Steeltrap]

WOW!!...That's a beautiful double barrel flint shotgun!!

I dunno how that would be "accepted" at a skeet shoot....you know....PULL..BANG......PULL...BANG.....Pour, stuff, tap, pan powder......would for sure mess with the rhythm !!!

[Pukka Bundook]

Look a nice set of barrels, and although indistinct, look like British proofs.
Do they ring nicely when suspended from a string and struck?

I know Ron Ehlert had a few sets up in the rafters he was planning on using.

[Dennis Daigger]

Marc,
The clear mark on the left barrel in the fourth photo I believe is a Birmingham mark. The remnant on the right barrel appears to be the same mark but was mostly removed when the barrel assembly was struck.

I only bought antique shotguns after barrel wall thicknesses were confirmed with a gauge over their entire length. With antique guns it’s often difficult to tell if a barrel set has been refinished and the walls reduced to a dangerous thinness in the process. A thickness of .020” is generally considered a minimum for cartridge antiques but it seems a prudent one to apply to this barrel set too. Obviously the closer a thin spot is to the breach the more caution needs to be used.

Dennis

[JBJ]

Several years ago I acquired a old set of 12 bore muzzle loading barrels from Belgium with the intent of building a shotgun. Long story short, I proofed the barrels and thought all was well. On thoroughly cleaning the barrels, I discovered that the things felt quite loose as my cleaning jag and patch reached the breech area. Further checking made clear that the breech area was indeed enlarged but I had no way of determining to what extent. Rust? Burn out? Project shelved. Moral of the story for me was to be sure that I checked things thoroughly. Sometime I'll tell of you about a muzzle loading rifle barrel I acquired with hopes for another project.

J.B.

[Long John]

Friend,

Those are definitely French or (more likely) Belgian barrels with the French style breech.  French guns were typically much smaller bore than the British guns and 28 bore was by far the most prevalent.  If the bores are in good shape they are definitely resurrecting!  Modern barrel makers insist on very thick walls and that results in a gun that is too heavy; especially if it is a /french gun with the 34 inch barrels typical of the 1750 to 1790 time period.  I learned that the hard way!

Best regards,
JMC

[Long John]

I made a mistake.  On closer inspection those barrels have English style breeches.  So they probably are of English manufacture.

Sorry,

Best Regards,

JMC

[taterbug]

if someone does use them, it will make for a svelte little thing.  even sweeter than a 20.  Hope we get to see the result.

[Daryl]

34" tubes, as well I sure hope they work out. What a nice little SxS they will make.

[Darkhorse]

Taylor......excellent work on that double barrel flint.

[Bob Roller]

That double gun stands out like a goose egg in a coal bucket but so does others Taylor has made,
Bob Roller