Bulge in Damascus 1894 barrel.

[cthraen]

My 1894 AE left barrel has a slight bulge, stretching ID to (+0.720), 10mm from muzzle. ID at muzzle is +0.698. Bulge extends about 1/3 on barrel circumference. Ribs are tight, barrels ring sound. I intend to shoot this with BP quail loads, 2 1/2 drams. Any advice on the possibility of repair? Leave it alone?

[Drew Hause]

Tough decision.
Bulges are not hard to repair by an EXPERT.
Pressures are very low at the muzzle.
BUT if it bulges more, there is a risk of fracture



I'd probably leave it alone.

You are aware that there are commercial 12g Smokeless loads with pressures similar to BP?
RST Ultra Lite 2 1/2” 3/4 oz. is reported to be 4400 psi; Falcon Lite 2 1/2” 7/8 oz. 5400 psi

[cthraen]

Thanks for the reply and photo. Does the photo show a burst on initial round or after repeated rounds? My concern is that the steel is now work hardened and may give way even at low pressure?

I only just acquired this 1894. I have a number of Parker's and J.P. Sauer's with Damascus. This is my first Remington SxS. Picked it up for $200 due to the bulge and a missing top snap spring. Gun overall an NRA 95% IF no bulge. I replaced the TS spring. I have had dents raised but this is my first experience with a bulge in Damascus. I reload and shoot only black powder in all my black powder era firearms, both shotgun and rifle. I have added a couple of photos. Serial #111xxx.

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[Drew Hause]

The shooter had used the Parker 6 Iron "Turkish" AH regularly, until noticing the fracture at the muzzle along weld lines.



Your A grade barrels are “Two stripe Damascus” which Remington called "Oxford 2 S.J." We don't know who "S.J." was but likely the tube maker and possibly Simonis-Janssen
Albert Simonis, J. Janssen & Demoulin Fils was established in 1883
http://www.littlegun.be/arme%20belge/ar ... n%20gb.htm
“Oxford” patterns were used from the Model 1876 to the 1900 KD.

[Researcher]

While every gun must be evaluated on its own merits, I can report that from some time during WW-II when he got it until 1988, the last year he hunted, my Father shot an 1896 vintage AE-Grade Remington Hammerless Double. His normal loads for Pheasant hunting was a #7 1/2 trap load in the right barrel and a Remington Express or Super-X #5 or 6 in the left. He was not an "opening weekend" hunter. He was out there every weekend from October into January. I still have the gun in my collection and it is just fine, though too much drop for me.

From their introduction in the October 1894 Remington Arms Co. catalog, the Remington Hammerless Double was guaranteed for nitro powders --

1894 Catalog Introduction.jpeg (567.25 KiB) Viewed 5426 times

Your gun is of 1899 vintage according to the serial number chronology Charles Semmer produced from surviving shipping records for his book Remington Double Shotguns. Here is the ejector gun page from the 1899 Remington Arms Co. catalog --

1899 Remington Arms Co. catalog page 6.jpeg (542.84 KiB) Viewed 5426 times

[cthraen]

Thanks. To all who provided helpful responses. Went to my skeet club today and patterned the gun. Good tight patterns for both barrels. Stamps on barrel lug are 342/350. Slight bulge in left barrel showed no disernable impact. I have attached a photo of gun in its case. Now ready for quail.

For those interested, this AE has these non-standard features. This is an ejector gun, yet there is no E on the barrel stamps. The rib is flat with two ivory beads. All parts, large and small have correct matching numbers. The serial number of 111422 puts the date of manufacture as 1899. Thirty inch Barrels weigh 3#-11, frame with stock 3#-5. Overall with forend 7#-11. By comparison my Parker GH 30" barrels weight 2#-9.