I think I messed up!!

B

bswiv

New member
I've always heard that ignorance should be expensive or painful as it helps one remember the lesson. May be that I've got a expensive lesson on my hands.

Bought a 16 ga SXS marked, "F. Dumoulin & C ( Has a little IB with a underline next to it. ) LIEGE". If what I was able to find is correct this was a better quality ( obviously not like the British) shotgun when it was made. That's from a copy of the "Blue Book of Gun Values". So I don't think it is junk but I am starting to think it has been shot a BUNCH.

Has a nice piece of wood on it and seems "tight" to my untrained eye/hands.

But, and this may be a BIG but!, while looking at it today I realized two things.

1. Under the barrels, right in front of the forend hanger, there is a small ( 3/16?) hole drilled. You can see right up into the space between the barrels through it. What is that for? Is that something that is done when a SXS is reblued?

2. And even more troubling, I noticed around the locking lugs some dimpeling as if someone has taken a punch and tapped the edges of the locking surfaces. Is this a half-assed attempt to tighten the action by a previous owner?

Like I said it seems TIGHT. Does not wobble at all in any direction.

I can email pictures if someone wants to really make me feel bad.
 
I'm glad you brought that question up. I too have seen the dimpling you are describing on a couple of shotguns I've seen over the past several months. They were from different locations and owners, so I assumed it wasn't from the same guy with the ball peen hammer and punch obsession.
 
double

Sir;
Your underlugs can be repaired by judiciously cutting them out and new steel brazed in and re-fit.
Some try to "peen" the lugs as apparently is yours but it lasts for a short time.
The hole into the barrel, if it is in fact, is different.
The locking lever ought to rest when fully locked just to the right of center.
If the hole is truly centered in the rib between the barrels it's of no consequence.
Harry B.
 
Thank you for the reply.

Hole is centered under the forearm. Obviously intentionally drilled for some reason.

The action is tight now.

So I just shoot it till it starts to get lose, which will be MUCH sooner than if the repair had been done correctly the first time, and then when it starts getting lose I get it done?
 
When I was a young man a century or two ago, The Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company, aka "The A&P", sold a motor oil called "A-Penn." It was about what you would expect from a motor oil sold by a grocery chain, but it had one big advantage. It was thick. There were even chunks of grease floating in it. No one bought it except for one purpose, to quiet a worn-out engine when you put the car up for sale. We called that an "A-Penn tuneup" and it fooled many buyers.

That peening on the locking lugs is the shotgun equivalent of an "A-Penn tuneup." It will last just long enough for the check to clear.

Jim
 
Is the hole threaded? Many European shotguns have sling swivels installed, and that could be the swivel mount hole.

Clemson
 
Hole is actually UNDER the forearm so I don't see what it's use could be except as a drain when the barrels were reblued???
 
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