barrel dent repair?

[RG96]

has anyone ever had a barrel dent repaired? if so what did you use and how did it turn out, can you still see it from the inside? I fixed a couple minor dents in an old double barrel the other day but they are still (barely) visible from the inside. I've only used shot in it so far, do round balls put more stress on the barrel?

 

[Eric Krewson]

There are youtube videos on fixing shot gun barrel dents, Midway Shooters supply has one out. They use a mandrel that fits the bore before they start hammering.

 

[hawkeye2]

The dent could act as an obstruction, depends on its depth. Any gunsmith worth his salt can repair a dent in a smoothbore (if he has the tool) and it's not too expensive. I'm sure there's a limit on the size dent that can be repaired. I had a dent removed from one barrel in my 10 gauge parker damascus (cartridge) years ago and it wasn't even visible on the inside after. There was a small ding on the outside where it had been struck by something fairly sharp and that will never come out. There was no hammering involved nor any refinishing. I have no idea how it happened and it was well before WW2.

 

[Artificer]

The dent could act as an obstruction, depends on its depth. Any gunsmith worth his salt can repair a dent in a smoothbore (if he has the tool) and it's not too expensive. I'm sure there's a limit on the size dent that can be repaired. I had a dent removed from one barrel in my 10 gauge parker damascus (cartridge) years ago and it wasn't even visible on the inside after. There was a small ding on the outside where it had been struck by something fairly sharp and that will never come out. There was no hammering involved nor any refinishing. I have no idea how it happened and it was well before WW2.

Most likely it was done by a tool like this:

BROWNELLS ORIGINAL ENGLISH HYDRAULIC DENT RAISER | Brownells

Gus

 

[RG96]

the hydraulic raiser is the only thing I could find for a 16 gauge but it costs almost twice as much as the shotgun did. I ended up turning down a socket to slightly under bore size tapered on the end. apply a little bit of heat and tap it through, then shim the plug until it wouldn't fit in the barrel anymore

 

[Col. Batguano]

Holy smokes! $468! And that's just for 1 gauge!. It's up to you to decide if it's worth the cost to acquire the tool (but not the knowledge and likely recent experience) to repair it yourself rather than taking it to a guy who has done it before (and assumes the risk if he does it wrong) to do it for you.

 

[Artificer]

Holy smokes! $468! And that's just for 1 gauge!. It's up to you to decide if it's worth the cost to acquire the tool (but not the knowledge and likely recent experience) to repair it yourself rather than taking it to a guy who has done it before (and assumes the risk if he does it wrong) to do it for you.

I've been looking at those dent raisers for over 30 years and still can't justify buying one.

However, if one asks around at a Trap or Skeet Club or group, they will know someone who has the dent raisers and will do such work for you.

Gus

 

[ord sgt]

A local gunsmith was asked to look over my modern (107 yo) shotgun. He cleaned and lubricates all the moving parts and then asked if I wanted the small dent removed from one barrel. I told him I will wait to have that done.

 

[RG96]

I've been looking at those dent raisers for over 30 years and still can't justify buying one.

However, if one asks around at a Trap or Skeet Club or group, they will know someone who has the dent raisers and will do such work for you.

Gus

that's a good idea, I'll ask around next time I go to the range. my home fix was good enough for shot but I'm a bit nervous about round ball.

 

[RG96]

A local gunsmith was asked to look over my modern (107 yo) shotgun. He cleaned and lubricates all the moving parts and then asked if I wanted the small dent removed from one barrel. I told him I will wait to have that done.

have you ever shot slugs or ball through it?

 

[griffiga]

the hydraulic raiser is the only thing I could find for a 16 gauge but it costs almost twice as much as the shotgun did. I ended up turning down a socket to slightly under bore size tapered on the end. apply a little bit of heat and tap it through, then shim the plug until it wouldn't fit in the barrel anymore

I did the same thing with an old socket. I had an old shotgun (breach loading) that had a ding an inch or so inside the left barrel. I found the closest socket size, grown down the edges so it would start in and hammered away. I probably changed the original choke size, but hey, it worked.

 

[ord sgt]

have you ever shot slugs or ball through it?

I have fired some low power loads through the SxS. No slugs. This shotgun was first thought to have Damascus barrels but upon further investigation I have found that the barrels were made with "modern" steel. More safe than Damascus.

 

[RG96]

I did the same thing with an old socket. I had an old shotgun (breach loading) that had a ding an inch or so inside the left barrel. I found the closest socket size, grown down the edges so it would start in and hammered away. I probably changed the original choke size, but hey, it worked.

haha who needs chokes anyway