GBS Posted June 12, 2020 Report Share Posted June 12, 2020 I have a pretty little 16g Damascus backlock ejector that I suspect needs to be scrapped. It is loose, has a cracked stock and pitted barrels and, whilst good, probably doesn’t warrant restoration. Does anyone have any experience of what could be kept? Could the Damascus barrels be cut for knife making? Could parts of the action be removed and surrendered and the lock plates and action lump retained? I assume it would be ok to keep the stock. Perhaps I am being silly and it just needs to go but the workmanship seems to me too good to bin. GBS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted June 12, 2020 Report Share Posted June 12, 2020 (edited) Surely you could move that on to an RFD who could make it live again. Edited June 12, 2020 by TIGHTCHOKE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted June 12, 2020 Report Share Posted June 12, 2020 Yes, far too pretty to scrap.Would make a wonderful wall hanger. I don’t like to see guns deactivated, and it would cost to do so, but it is definitely too pretty to scrap. Id keep it for now; the way things are going with regards lead, if they stop commercially making 16 bore ammo, you could keep it off ticket under the obsolete cartridge ruling. You never know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matone Posted June 12, 2020 Report Share Posted June 12, 2020 Far too good a quality gun to scrap! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WalkedUp Posted June 12, 2020 Report Share Posted June 12, 2020 If you were nearer me I’d happily give it a forever home 🤣 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snow white Posted June 12, 2020 Report Share Posted June 12, 2020 That really is to nice to scrap I would try and pass it on to some body for nothing rather than scrap it if you hand it in the only thing you will get is a piece of paper let somebody have the pleasure of owning it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave at kelton Posted June 12, 2020 Report Share Posted June 12, 2020 (edited) Those Blanch guns were top notch. Unless the barrels are so badly pitted they have very thin walls in places don’t assume they are gone. Actions can be tightened and stocks repaired. I would have that in to a good gunsmith for assessment before I did anything else. I would love to have that in my collection. i was told by rfd that any parts subject to pressure testing could not be kept unless the gun is properly deactivated. That would leave you with just the locks and woodwork if correct. Edited June 12, 2020 by Dave at kelton Add info Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted June 12, 2020 Report Share Posted June 12, 2020 Contact Demonwold444 and ask his opinion! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Boggy Posted June 12, 2020 Report Share Posted June 12, 2020 As said, that looks far too good to scrap. If it were mine, I'd have it tightened and the stock repaired. James (Demonwolf) on here is your man. It's such a shame that they no longer line Damascus barrels. 32 minutes ago, WalkedUp said: If you were nearer me I’d happily give it a forever home 🤣 Me too. 52 minutes ago, Scully said: the way things are going with regards lead, if they stop commercially making 16 bore ammo Wash your mouth out Scully. How very dare you even suggest that they stop commercially making 16 bore ammo. Perish the thought. I would have to sell all my guns OB Just now, TIGHTCHOKE said: Contact Demonwold444 and ask his opinion! Beat me to it but it's DemonWOLF. (Fat finger mistake methinks) OB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruno22rf Posted June 12, 2020 Report Share Posted June 12, 2020 I've taken similar guns to my gunsmith expecting them to be scrapped - couple of months later they look almost new and have another 100 years of life before them - if you cannot afford/are too busy to restore her then sell her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted June 12, 2020 Report Share Posted June 12, 2020 Wilson, I was waiting for someone to spot my deliberate mistake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Boggy Posted June 12, 2020 Report Share Posted June 12, 2020 4 minutes ago, TIGHTCHOKE said: Wilson, I was waiting for someone to spot my deliberate mistake Stupid boy, don't tell them your name Pike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted June 12, 2020 Report Share Posted June 12, 2020 that is a pretty gun............... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackpowder Posted June 12, 2020 Report Share Posted June 12, 2020 Depending where you are in the Borders take it to either Castle Gunmakers Norham or Borders Gun room St Boswells for an assessment. Blackpowder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker570 Posted June 12, 2020 Report Share Posted June 12, 2020 Total scrap job.....I'll take it off your hands fro free..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunman Posted June 12, 2020 Report Share Posted June 12, 2020 Sort of gun that 15/ 20 years I would have run through the shop as a project , sleeve and restock and still sold it for a small mark up . But not today unfortunately . If was a lightweight it may even have ended up as a 20 bore to make it more sell able . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Townie Posted June 12, 2020 Report Share Posted June 12, 2020 Interesting thing about scrapping guns onThe Gun Shop on YouTube, published a couple of days ago. Worth a watch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DUNKS Posted June 12, 2020 Report Share Posted June 12, 2020 I have exactly the same problem with my lovely Brum made 12g Daintith. Stock to die for, tight as a drum but Damascus bores are terrible. Think it may end up as a standard lamp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruno22rf Posted June 12, 2020 Report Share Posted June 12, 2020 RE - TGS - where does he dream these prices up? If he pays the kind of money he is talking about then he seriously needs to shop around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GBS Posted June 12, 2020 Author Report Share Posted June 12, 2020 Thank you for all of the replies, i'm impressed that there is some enthusiasm for the gun. The problem lies as follows, assuming (and this is the big one) the barrels are OKish, then it will still need: Barrels - dents lifted, rib relaid, lapped, and browned. Action - re-jointed and thoroughly serviced. Stock repaired (cracked through the hand but quite neatly), refinished and re-chequered. It is a very nice piece of walnut. This would be the bare minimum of work required and would cost, i imagine, using a small independent 'smith, the thick end of £2k. At the end of this you still have a gun with a broken stock and pitted barrels that is unlikely to be worth £2k to anyone else. I'll measure the barrels later and try to get an idea of how bad the pitting is. I don't have the appetite for this project but if anyone is serious about carrying out the work then this is infinitely preferable to scrapping it. GBS p.s. I am aware of James' work and, if I did the work it would probably go to him. He is about to start re-stocking a gun for a friend who would lynch me if I distracted him at the moment! A couple more photos: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted June 12, 2020 Report Share Posted June 12, 2020 Really should save it, at least sell it to an RFD who will take it forward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker570 Posted June 12, 2020 Report Share Posted June 12, 2020 I rescued a similar Army & Navy 16 gauge back in the late 70s. The stock was broken, barrels looked fair and the action was as one would expect after all those years....made early 1900s and blackpowder. I took it to a local gunsmith and his stocker took a look and gave me a price on a new stock and both he and the Smith thought the barrels would nitro proof. I gave the go ahead to tightenup and proof prior to a new stock. It came through with flying colours and I have had great joy shooting it for the past 40yrs. I appreciate that not always does someone have the readies to pay for this work but these guns are irreplaceable and are part of our British gunmaking industry. Great shame if that gun is chopped up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruno22rf Posted June 12, 2020 Report Share Posted June 12, 2020 Can you get a better picture of the barrels please - cannot judge the damascus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enfieldspares Posted June 12, 2020 Report Share Posted June 12, 2020 The major issue now with de-activation is that the fore-end has to be permanently fixed to the barrels. So the Blanch fastener therefore no longer has value as an example for a collector to be able to see, or show, how the thing functions. But what ALL need to remember is that the laws of proof apply only to guns that are sold or displayed for sale. So the gun can be given away, free, to anybody with a valid SGC or to an RFD. Also it may be very worthwhile to email both Proof Houses and ask specifically if they'd issue a "Proof Exemption Certificate" for the gun because of its Blanch fastener. That way it could be indeed sold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted June 12, 2020 Report Share Posted June 12, 2020 1 hour ago, enfieldspares said: The major issue now with de-activation is that the fore-end has to be permanently fixed to the barrels. So the Blanch fastener therefore no longer has value as an example for a collector to be able to see, or show, how the thing functions. But what ALL need to remember is that the laws of proof apply only to guns that are sold or displayed for sale. So the gun can be given away, free, to anybody with a valid SGC or to an RFD. Also it may be very worthwhile to email both Proof Houses and ask specifically if they'd issue a "Proof Exemption Certificate" for the gun because of its Blanch fastener. That way it could be indeed sold. And further to this, there is nothing to prevent anyone from using an out of proof or unproved gun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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