Shotgun barrel alterations

[Gunman]

Can we please put this to bed once and for all.

YOU DO NOT NEED TO REPROOF A SHOTGUN IF-

It has had the cokes bored out .

If it has had the barrels shortened .

if it has had the ribs relayed .

It Should be proofed if-  this applies to all shotguns if to be sold and may affect any insurance claims as well as for the safety of the user 

it has had the lump re-brazed .

if it has had the chambers lengthened.

if has been bore past it original proof limits and offered for sale .

if it has had multi chokes fitted or muzzle brake fitted  .

A gun can be declared "visibly " out of proof for reasons of dents , bulges , pits , or condition of action ,This is a grey area but a rule of thumb is that the gun is not in a fit state to be submitted then its proof status  must be compromised .EG. a 12 bore proofed at "12" /.729 measures .733". It is badly pitted and has a large bulge .This is out of proof in the letter of the law .

There is nothing in law to prevent you from owning or using an out of proof or unproved gun , nor is there anything to prevent an out of proof gun being worked on however>

<Responsible Gunsmiths doing work that may render a gun out of proof will say the gun has  to be re- proofed  to cover himself in law and against any subsequent claims .This may be against the wishes of the owner and if so he may refuse the work . 

 

[Old Boggy]

27 minutes ago, Gunman said:

Can we please put this to bed once and for all.

YOU DO NOT NEED TO REPROOF A SHOTGUN IF-

It has had the cokes bored out .

If it has had the barrels shortened .

if it has had the ribs relayed .

It Should be proofed if-  this applies to all shotguns if to be sold and may affect any insurance claims as well as for the safety of the user 

it has had the lump re-brazed .

if it has had the chambers lengthened.

if has been bore past it original proof limits and offered for sale .

if it has had multi chokes fitted or muzzle brake fitted  .

A gun can be declared "visibly " out of proof for reasons of dents , bulges , pits , or condition of action ,This is a grey area but a rule of thumb is that the gun is not in a fit state to be submitted then its proof status  must be compromised .EG. a 12 bore proofed at "12" /.729 measures .733". It is badly pitted and has a large bulge .This is out of proof in the letter of the law .

There is nothing in law to prevent you from owning or using an out of proof or unproved gun , nor is there anything to prevent an out of proof gun being worked on however>

<Responsible Gunsmiths doing work that may render a gun out of proof will say the gun has  to be re- proofed  to cover himself in law and against any subsequent claims .This may be against the wishes of the owner and if so he may refuse the work . 

 

Many thanks for your very concise clarification. 

Would it be possible for the Mods to pin this to the top of the`Guns & Equipment` section for future reference?

OB

[Scully]

To put it simply, there is no requirement by law to have any gun submitted for proofing following alterations UNLESS you intend to SELL it.

You can ‘gift’ or ‘give’ an unproved or out of proof gun to anyone with the relevant authority to possess. 
 

[Gunman]

3 hours ago, Scully said:

To put it simply, there is no requirement by law to have any gun submitted for proofing following alterations UNLESS you intend to SELL it.

You can ‘gift’ or ‘give’ an unproved or out of proof gun to anyone with the relevant authority to possess. 
 

Yes as long as no money , goods or other is in the exchange . If I gave you an old gun and you gave me a bottle of whiskey or did some work for me , then the letter of the law is broken and could be counted as payment .

[enfieldspares]

Yes. It was not unusual in the 1980s and earlier when there was a lot of nonsense being done at the Proof House in Birmingham with awful stamps on the side so of barrels of handguns (that were perfectly safe I'd add as they'd passed British military proof or the German equivalent) to see such invoiced as "Grips sold...Gun given". 

[Scully]

1 hour ago, Gunman said:

Yes as long as no money , goods or other is in the exchange . If I gave you an old gun and you gave me a bottle of whiskey or did some work for me , then the letter of the law is broken and could be counted as payment .

Quite.....but who’s gonna know, eh? 😉

[JohnfromUK]

It used to the the case that lots were listed at auction thus;

The stock, action and forend of [gun details].  The barrels may conditionally be made available to a registered firearms dealer.

This enabled guns to be sold into the trade for sleeving, reproof, or whatever was necessary to allow the gun to be brought back within the law as a complete saleable gun.  It seemed a good system to me.  I have one obtained just this was that was sleeved for me and is now back in proof as a sleeved gun.