W M Moore Sxs

[kingsax26]

I picked up a sxs in decent shape. The barrels are pretty nice except for a small ding about 3 inches from the muzzle in one barrel. I would like to shoot this gun. It has damscus barrels, and the dent does appear inside the bore as a small rib like protrusion...I know that often they are not as bad as they appear. from the outside the dent is about 1/4 inch and very shallow. What are the opinions of test firing the gun with moderate loads of shot...id primarilly use it for squirrel. I dont think id be shooting a ball....if i did it would be bare ball and wad. Of course id test fire from a tire string lol. but id rather not delaminate the barrel

 

[Britsmoothy]

Is it cylinder? If so make mandrel to cam and tap it flat.

B.

 

[F.G. Ford]

Hello Bryon,
Check the dent with a high power magnifying glass, look for a crack or linear separation, if nothing is visible, tap the dent out with a brass hammer.
To tap the dent, put a close fitting steel bar inside the barrel, where the dent is.
Give the barrel a good hard tap, with a heavy hammer.
Brass is best, but a heavy steel hammer is ok, but the face of the hammer must be very smooth.
This tap is done with one hand, not an over the head swing with a sledge hammer. Things will go wrong that way.
The dent on the outside will almost disappear, in side the barrel a trace mark may still be there.
Leave it, it wont matter.
I have removed several severe dents like that with good success.
Fred

 

[nhmoose]

Dents get removed every day by a shotgun smith. Brownells sells a hydraulic dent remover, VERY expensive today. I have one that is over 40 years old it works somewhat well but needs rebuilding again. Try you local gunsmith. When I was in business I charge 20 bucks a dent.

 

[smoothshooter]

Put a slight, smooth taper on the forward end of the rod, and a little oil on it as well.
Without the taper, it might grab and tear the laminations instead of pushing them out of the way.

 

[smoothshooter]

Why does the face of the hammer need to be smooth?

 

[F.G. Ford]

Why does the face of the hammer need to be smooth?

Hi,
If the hammer has any ridges, or dents on the face, the strike from the hammer ( especially a steel hammer ) can leave an impression on the shotgun barrel.
Pulling a tapered swage through the barrel, also works well.
But you will need quite a bit of equipment to do so, and pulling such a taper can collapse a thin old barrel.

 

[BillinOregon]

WM Moore was known for its sound, working shotguns. The great BP shotgun guru V.M. Starr used one extensively. Hope you can get yours up and safely running.