dougk & Drilling Man,
I would first like to thank both of you profusely for so freely sharing your knowledge with me. Without such insightful comments I would still be in the dark about the ins and outs of the Valmet 412. Your assistance is most appreciated.
The 412 Gunsmith Manual was most enlightening, but I can't get the Owners Manual to download and open properly.
However, as I follow (and instigate) 412 discussions on the forum, I have become somewhat concerned about the wisdom of purchasing a used example of what both of you (and numerous others) say is a seriously fine and sturdy firearm.
Barrel interchange capability is (for me and many others) the most important aspect of the 412. And yet here both of you are saying that (incorrectly) utilizing this feature could potentially ruin a 412 receiver.
Now, I've only been seriously looking into buying a 412 for about the last 6 months. In that time I've only found (via internet outlets such as Gunbroker, Guns America, and Guns International) about half a dozen multi-barrel 412 systems being sold. None of these systems included a 9.3x74R/12ga combo barrel (or a 9.3x74R double barrel). Most were two barrel systems (one was a three barrel system), and if a combo barrel was included it was usually a .308/12ga. I've also seen one .30-06 double rifle in this time.
Obviously these have all been used guns, and a buyer is totally at the sellers mercy regarding details about the systems heritage, etc. (ie. were all the barrels new when fitted to the receiver, or was the set assembled from used barrels, etc.).
I don't want a .308. And I can't decide if having a rimless (ie. 30-06) combo rifle would be a good idea or not. However, it does seem that lots of people would like to have a 412 with the 9.3x74R (in either a double or combo configuration). But used 412s for sale in this caliber seem to be virtually non existent.
However, there have been many 100s of 412 shotguns for sale during the last six months. So the temptation has been to separately purchase a used 412 shotgun and a suitable usedcaliber/ga combo barrel and then marry the two up.
But since used 9.3x74R/12ga barrels for sale don't seem to be available, it appears that the only way I will ever have a 412 combo in this caliber is to purchase a new FinnClassic 9.3x74R/12 ga barrel from Russ Gould and have it fitted to a used 412.
So, if I was to purchase a new 512 combo barrel then a competent gunsmith could properly fit this barrel to a used 412 receiver. Correct?
However, properly fitting used 412 barrels (shotgun, combo, double) to a used 412 receiver might prove to be impossible (but it might also be a straightforward and trouble free task). But it appears that there is no way to determine how difficult such a 'marriage' will be prior to actually undertaking it. True?
So; to better prepare for precluding potential purchase pitfalls, I would appreciate knowing the following:
1) Exactly what is meant by "the barrel set may not be on the face"? Does this refer to the gap between the barrel face and the receiver face?
2) Can I safely assume that since it states in the Introduction section of the Gunsmith Manual "Most barrel sets will appear to fit the receiver correctly without additional fitting" and "Many barrel sets will not require additional fitting", that there are many 412's out there whose owners purchased used barrels and installed them without doing any "close inspection"?
3) Is there any simple visual checks one can do to determine if the barrel fitting "close inspection" has (or has not) been undertaken?
4) How can I determine if a gunsmith knows what they are doing regarding 412 barrel fitting?
5) Which gunsmiths would you trust to work on your personal 412s?
6) What questions should I ask of a used 412 seller (barrel or rifle) prior to bidding or purchasing?
7) Are there any books about double/combo rifles that I should purchase to better understand such firearms?
I'll never become half the 412 expert that either of you seem to be. But, with your help, I at least hope to learn enough not to get burned purchasing a 412 or the desired interchangeable barrel sets.
Once again, many thanks.
Best regards,
Steve
