Steel proof markings

[Lewi76]

A mate of mine has got a kofs o/u he bought new just before lockdown can someone tell me if he can use steel through it please

[oldypigeonpopper]

Hello, it should have a Fleur de Lys motif stamped on the barrels 👍

[Scully]

AAs OP says, if this ……

is a fleur de lys symbol, then it’s been proofed for steel. 
 

[Lewi76]

51 minutes ago, Scully said:

AAs OP says, if this ……

is a fleur de lys symbol, then it’s been proofed for steel. 
 

Thanks Scully much appreciated, I should have checked my shotgun lol 

[Scully]

19 minutes ago, Lewi76 said:

Thanks Scully much appreciated, I should have checked my shotgun lol 

👍

[RyanMc]

Looks good to go for HP steel. Mine is and has same marking. Fleur de lys or stamped 'steel proofed' are what to look for.

Decent shotgun for the price. My first new one November last year, seems to fit and work for me for all sorts of shooting. Haven't used the SX3 very much since.

[wymberley]

As I'm not certain, please don't rely on me but check with a professional. The steel shot proof marks changed in 2020 from the 2006 version. The fleur de lis (fdl) is only half the story as the definitive nitro powder proof mark is still a requirement. If the mark to the right of what we think is the fdl is BNP stamped below a crown and the fdl actually is just that, then Matey is good to go with a 2020 Birmingham steel shot proofed gun. I think.

This from the GWCT:

Edited September 7, 2022 by wymberley

[JohnfromUK]

1 hour ago, wymberley said:

The fleur de lis (fdl) is only half the story as the definitive nitro powder proof mark is still a requirement.

Agreed, but if I understand correctly, there is no circumstance (other than human error) where you would ever find the fdl mark without there being definitive nitro proof (i.e. the standard proof).

[wymberley]

33 minutes ago, JohnfromUK said:

Agreed, but if I understand correctly, there is no circumstance (other than human error) where you would ever find the fdl mark without there being definitive nitro proof (i.e. the standard proof).

Barring fraud, yep and of course the 2006 (supplementary) version. Looking at the pictures, it seems as though Birmingham would do well to invest in some new stamps - just not the abysmal line drawn crown shown elsewhere on here.

Edited September 7, 2022 by wymberley

[JohnfromUK]

31 minutes ago, wymberley said:

Looking at the pictures, it seems as though Birmingham would do well to invest in some new stamps - just not the abysmal line drawn crown shown elsewhere on here.

Yes, the stamps I have seen used recently have been very poor indeed, arguably in some cases so unclear as to be unfit for purpose.

[wymberley]

20 minutes ago, JohnfromUK said:

Yes, the stamps I have seen used recently have been very poor indeed, arguably in some cases so unclear as to be unfit for purpose.

Is this the best they can come up with for a new style crown?

[Scully]

4 hours ago, wymberley said:

As I'm not certain, please don't rely on me but check with a professional. The steel shot proof marks changed in 2020 from the 2006 version. The fleur de lis (fdl) is only half the story as the definitive nitro powder proof mark is still a requirement. If the mark to the right of what we think is the fdl is BNP stamped below a crown and the fdl actually is just that, then Matey is good to go with a 2020 Birmingham steel shot proofed gun. I think.

This from the GWCT:

The OP’s photograph shows CIP stamped above a blurry fleur de lys. He’s good to go if that’s the case. 

[Smudger687]

This whole steel proof thing is just another way of extracting more money from manufacturers and from consumers; my supernova doesn't come with a fleur de lys, but guess what, I still put HP steel through it without issue. 

Any modern shotgun will comfortably cope with HP steel, and IMHO, so will any gun that has passed standard nitro proofing. 

The issue with steel has never been chamber pressures; even old side by sides take somewhere in the region of 60,000 psi of chamber pressures before they fail, and even the hottest HP steel is only ~25-30% of that. 

The issue with steel is the risk of choke bulging, and there are no proof marks to tell you whether or not your gun will bulge when you put big steel through it. 

[Scully]

11 hours ago, Smudger687 said:

This whole steel proof thing is just another way of extracting more money from manufacturers and from consumers; my supernova doesn't come with a fleur de lys, but guess what, I still put HP steel through it without issue. 

Any modern shotgun will comfortably cope with HP steel, and IMHO, so will any gun that has passed standard nitro proofing. 

The issue with steel has never been chamber pressures; even old side by sides take somewhere in the region of 60,000 psi of chamber pressures before they fail, and even the hottest HP steel is only ~25-30% of that. 

The issue with steel is the risk of choke bulging, and there are no proof marks to tell you whether or not your gun will bulge when you put big steel through it. 

This.