Establishing the value of a gun is impossible without a proper evaluation of the barrels.
The first step is to check that the gun is in proof and to do that you need a bore gauge. There are several gauges on the market. Mine is a manual version, which, once calibrated, is very accurate.
The first job is to set the gauge to the proof size stamped on the barrel. In the case of the gun in the film (a W.J. Jeffery) that is .729", which we can see from the '12' stamp on the barrel flats.
With the gauge set, we can insert it into the barrel until the head is 9" from the breech. This is the crucial point at which to measure. If the bore is over nine thousandths of an inch larger than .729" it is 'out of proof' and illegal to sell in the UK.
So, we want this barrel to measure as close to .729" as possible but we certainly don't want to see it reach or exceed .739".
Watch the film here to see how we do the job and ascertain the proof status of these barrels.
Published by Vintage Guns Ltd on
