Dave L Posted February 2 Report Share Posted February 2 Could anyone advise please, can I use modern cartridges with these proof marks. It is a Spanish sxs Kestrel made by Zabala. Thanks in advance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted February 2 Report Share Posted February 2 Yep with up to 70mm (2&3/4") cartridges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
London Best Posted February 2 Report Share Posted February 2 4 minutes ago, wymberley said: Yep with up to 70mm (2&3/4") cartridges. Wot ‘e sed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted February 2 Report Share Posted February 2 Welcome to Pigeon Watch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCB56 Posted February 2 Report Share Posted February 2 All the above including TC's welcome and it's nice seeing a new member asking a question instead of selling something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enfieldspares Posted February 2 Report Share Posted February 2 (edited) It was proofed for standard 70mm 12 bore cartridges. The weight of 1350 gms is the weight of the barrels. This means that at any future time an owner can weight the barrels and this will tell if metal has been removed EITHER from inside the barrels (as in gone out of proof or it has been lapped) or from the outside (as in being struck off for re-blacking). This is a far simpler system than the UK as you don't need either a bore gauge nor a barrel thickness gauge to work out of the gun has been "got at". Simply just a good set of scales. Likely somewhere in front of the action flats may be some additional marks? Such as 18.4 or some such. This is the internal diameter of the bore of that barrel at a certain distaance from the breech when the gun was made. It serves a similar purpose to the old British .719", or .729" marks or the earlier 12/1 or 12 marks. There may also be on each barrel some stars or asterisks or four pointed stars like a compass "cross". The more you have the more open the choke WHEN THOSE MARKS WERE STAMPED. So + would be full choke, ++ half choke, +++ quarter choke and ++++ improved. Or some such scheme. Can you use modern cartridges? When the gun was made it was indeed made to use such. But like a car MoT it may no longer be valid as guns can be bored out if they became badly pitted. So that 1350 grms weight helps you check that the barrels are near or near enough as made and so still able to use modern cartridges. Edited February 2 by enfieldspares Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted February 2 Report Share Posted February 2 2 hours ago, enfieldspares said: It was proofed for standard 70mm 12 bore cartridges. The weight of 1350 gms is the weight of the barrels. This means that at any future time an owner can weight the barrels and this will tell if metal has been removed EITHER from inside the barrels (as in gone out of proof or it has been lapped) or from the outside (as in being struck off for re-blacking). This is a far simpler system than the UK as you don't need either a bore gauge nor a barrel thickness gauge to work out of the gun has been "got at". Simply just a good set of scales. Likely somewhere in front of the action flats may be some additional marks? Such as 18.4 or some such. This is the internal diameter of the bore of that barrel at a certain distaance from the breech when the gun was made. It serves a similar purpose to the old British .719", or .729" marks or the earlier 12/1 or 12 marks. There may also be on each barrel some stars or asterisks or four pointed stars like a compass "cross". The more you have the more open the choke WHEN THOSE MARKS WERE STAMPED. So + would be full choke, ++ half choke, +++ quarter choke and ++++ improved. Or some such scheme. Can you use modern cartridges? When the gun was made it was indeed made to use such. But like a car MoT it may no longer be valid as guns can be bored out if they became badly pitted. So that 1350 grms weight helps you check that the barrels are near or near enough as made and so still able to use modern cartridges. It remains handy to know the barrel diameter in the case of a fixed choke gun should one want to determine what choke is currently present. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TOPGUN749 Posted February 2 Report Share Posted February 2 31 minutes ago, wymberley said: It remains handy to know the barrel diameter in the case of a fixed choke gun should one want to determine what choke is currently present. The bore diameter is not necessarily the exact measurement,but within a few thousand of an inch,a “.729”can be up to .740,and .”719” up to .729. Choke can only be accurately determined with a bore dial gauge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted February 2 Report Share Posted February 2 43 minutes ago, TOPGUN749 said: Choke can only be accurately determined with a bore dial gauge. Yes, because it measures the bore and choke diameters enabling one to determine the degree of choke by subtracting the smaller figure from the larger. Unfortunately this means that one would either have to fork out several £100s to buy one or toddle off to your local friendly RFD in the hope that he's forked out for one and knows how to use it. Fortunately, there's always more than one way to skin a cat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.