Author Topic: How safe/unsafe is it to fire a 12 gauge with a gap at the top of the barrel  (Read 977 times)

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Offline wreckhog

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Have a 12 gauge slug barrel that I have halfheartedly been fitting. Tried it on my Huntsman receiver. Locks up perfect, Coke can shim thick gap at the top. It need the pivot relieved I am thinking, but how would it be to shoot it as is? Plenty of shotgunners shoot their gun until they loosen up right? This is a never fired barrel.

Offline quickdtoo

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Not ideal, but if latch engagement is sufficient and it doesn't pop open on ya, shoot it and see how accurate it is, if it's a smoothie, you may not be able to tell! ;D

Tim
"Always do right, this will gratify some and astonish the rest" -  Mark Twain

Offline Spanky

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I don't really agree with the advice to shoot it with a partially open breech and I don't think any gunsmith would either. Keep working it until it closes properly.



Spanky

Offline bikerbeans

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Wreck,

I agree with Spanky, keep working on  it until it locks up right.  Just go slow otherwise you'll be like me and get a lot of practice installing shims. ???

Off topic - Spanky how's the healing process going?  Shoot your new rifle yet?

BB
RIP Tom: Tom Nolan, ( bikerbeans) passed away this afternoon (02-04-2021).

Why be difficult, when with a little extra effort you can be impossible?

Wife's Handis;  300 BLKOUT

MINE:  270W, 308x444, 44 Bodeen, 410 shorty rifled slug gun, 445 SuperMag Shikari, 45 ACP shorty,  45-70 Shikari, 45 Cal Smokeless MZ, 50cal 24" SS Sidekick, 50 cal 24" Huntsman, 50 cal 26" Huntsman, 50 cal 26" Sidekick, 50-70 Govt Shikari, Tracker II 20 ga shorty, 20 ga VR Pardner, 20ga USH, 12ga VR NWTF, 12ga Tracker II shorty WITHOUT scope, 12ga USH, 10 ga  Pardner Smoothbore slug gun & 24ga Profino Custom rifled slug gun.

Offline Spanky

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The cast is off and the wrist is doing good. I have had the 22-250 out a few times and it shoots pretty darn good... the trigger is too heavy though. I'm thinkin' about getting one from SSS.



Spanky

Offline gcrank1

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You say,'coke can shim (feeler guage?) gap at the top', thats about .002" (isnt it Tim?), and from past posts hasnt that been an acceptable 'headspace' on these? Now, is that a pinch 'fit' or a sliding fit of the feeler?
Have you removed the extractor/ejector for the fitting? No need to be second guessing the breech fit with it in there to throw you off.
With it out, can you get that feeler down around the sides too?
"Halt while I adjust my accoutrements!"
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Offline quickdtoo

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Yup, about that, not a serious issue on a shotgun, there are literally thousands of old H&R shotguns that are shot regularly that are a bit loose that work fine for what they're used for, as long as they stay locked up when fired, the owners are likely happy with them. I shimmed my 1908 with brass shim stock when Dad gave it to me when I was about 10, it was loose then and had been shot for years like that when I got it, it was the quintessential "truck gun" even tho it wasn't used in a truck, we pretty much only had cars except for a Willys 4x4 and a VW microbus!!!  ;D

Tim
"Always do right, this will gratify some and astonish the rest" -  Mark Twain

Offline bikerbeans

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"VW Microbus"????  Tim at Woodstock?
RIP Tom: Tom Nolan, ( bikerbeans) passed away this afternoon (02-04-2021).

Why be difficult, when with a little extra effort you can be impossible?

Wife's Handis;  300 BLKOUT

MINE:  270W, 308x444, 44 Bodeen, 410 shorty rifled slug gun, 445 SuperMag Shikari, 45 ACP shorty,  45-70 Shikari, 45 Cal Smokeless MZ, 50cal 24" SS Sidekick, 50 cal 24" Huntsman, 50 cal 26" Huntsman, 50 cal 26" Sidekick, 50-70 Govt Shikari, Tracker II 20 ga shorty, 20 ga VR Pardner, 20ga USH, 12ga VR NWTF, 12ga Tracker II shorty WITHOUT scope, 12ga USH, 10 ga  Pardner Smoothbore slug gun & 24ga Profino Custom rifled slug gun.

Offline quickdtoo

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Well, it wasn't exactly stock, it had the original engine in it for a while, but Dad being the ingenious tinkerer and mechanic his whole life, didn't settle the lack of power for long, first engine he transplanted into it was a Triumph TR3, that didn't work out well, so he ended up putting 308CI inline-6 from a Hudson Hornet mounted forward of the rear axle mid body in it, more hot rod power than flower power!!  ;D

Tim
"Always do right, this will gratify some and astonish the rest" -  Mark Twain