SW Off Face
SW Off Face
I recently purchased a Utica 20 Gauge SW for a very fair price. Real nice condition. Top lever to the right. Nice and tight until the forend is removed. Things get loose with the forend off. Noticeable rattle. I can no doubt return the gun, but would be willing to put some bucks into having it put back on face. Anyone here have a similar experience? Is it worth messing with an off face SW? Thanks much. Jay
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Silvers
- Posts: 4813
- Joined: Sat Jan 06, 2007 9:28 pm
- Location: Between Phila and Utica
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Re: SW Off Face
Yep, if you bought the SW right it's worthwhile getting her put back on the face. The problem is, trying to find someone who can/will do a first rate job. When properly rejointed the hook radius and the back ends of both barrels will show good, uniform contact when "smoked in" using soot. Also, there must be a slight clearance between the barrel flats and the water table to allow the barrels to set down during use.
Modern rejointing involves welding the barrel hook, recutting its radius in exactly the right location = dead nuts, and slow, tedious fitting work - and all that is much more difficult to do than when Fox fitted the barrels to begin with. A typical charge of about $250 to rejoint a set of barrels will (IME) get the gun functional for a time, but you probably won't get a really good job. When discussing this work with a barrelsmith, be sure to tell him you're going to check the fits with soot.... so that he knows what you expect, knows what he has to do, and will give you a cost estimate accordingly. This will probably scare off most "hackers" and they will decline the work. Nuff said! Silvers
Modern rejointing involves welding the barrel hook, recutting its radius in exactly the right location = dead nuts, and slow, tedious fitting work - and all that is much more difficult to do than when Fox fitted the barrels to begin with. A typical charge of about $250 to rejoint a set of barrels will (IME) get the gun functional for a time, but you probably won't get a really good job. When discussing this work with a barrelsmith, be sure to tell him you're going to check the fits with soot.... so that he knows what you expect, knows what he has to do, and will give you a cost estimate accordingly. This will probably scare off most "hackers" and they will decline the work. Nuff said! Silvers
Aan
Re: SW Off Face
I decided to take my SW to Dan Rossiter for rejoining. As I could not get the barrels to ring, Dan did some checking and it was discovered that we were now also dealing with a loose top rib. After a quick calculation of all expenses required to bring said gun up to snuff, I decided to return it. I am disappointed, but know I made the right decision. The major positive about this gun was that it had nice, shootable stock dimensions.
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Twice Barrel
Re: SW Off Face
Jay good choice. The barrels are the heart of the shotgun pretty much everything else is minor in comparison. There are plenty of nice late production 20 gauges out there with "shootable" stock dimensions.