Shooting Antique ML shotguns

[donnieonetrack]

Hello, I'm new to the site but not ML. I just bought a W&C Scott & son 14 ga. SxS ML. My question is- How can you tell if the gun is safe to shoot before testing?

Great site!

thanks, Don

 

[Rifleman1776]

Do have it inspected by a knowledgable muzzleloadinggunsmith.
If there is an ml club near you take it there and show around.
Even if in good condition, very likely, it will need new nipples. Save the originals to assure you get the right size and thread.
A lot of old shotguns are used today. You will see many in competitions.
Good luck. Let us know what you find out.

 

[Lorne Johnson]

The key information is the condition of the bores, and the wall thickness of the barrels throughout their length. You want a gunsmith who understands and has the equipment to measure the wall thickness.

 

[donnieonetrack]

Thanks guys, I'm trying to locate a gunsmith that understands ML in my area. Anyone know of someone in fl. to south ga.

Don

 

[Many Klatch]

The big questions are how are the inside of the barrels and how well does the locks work. First check to see if either barrel is loaded, don't laugh. Then drop a bore light down each tube a small flash lite will do. Look for large areas of rust pitting. Check the locks to see if the half cock really works. Normally I hang a cocked gun from my finger in the trigger and see if the weight of the gun will make it go off. If not that's a good sign.

Is the barrel solid steel or damascus?

Many Klatch

 

[paulvallandigham]

Give Phil Quaglino in Havannah, Fla. a call. He is a retired barrel maker, and gun builder. He can inspect the gun for you, or find you someone closer to Gainsville who can. Phil is a NMLRA field representative for N. Florida.

 

[texcl]

I've been working on guns for some time now and have been using muzzleloaders for 15 years or so now, but I still am no expert. What I do is inspect the weapon carefully looking for defects in the barrel, such as deep pits missing peices of laminate, bulges and corrosion under the rib. Then if all that is ok I "proof" the barrel with 10 percent more than my max field load but I use 3f. I fire 10 of these remotely, carefully inspecting the weapon after each shot for any changes. Then I deem it somewhat safe to fire from the shoulder but I'm always inspecting it for chnges. Even then one might let loose on me someday, but I have shot thousands of rounds out of old guns and none have given loose yet, but you never know.

 

[Supercracker]

To add to texcls remote firing suggestion (which is what I do). I mark the barrel off at 1" increments with a small piece of masking tape. Before firing I mic the barrel OD at each point and write it on the tape. After each round of firing I check the OD to see if the barrel grew any. If it did I'd pronounce it a wall hanger.

The intent is to catch any progressive weakening that would set the barrel up for a future failure but not blow it up or be noticeable to the naked eye during "proofing"