Side-Kicks in a SXS

[Awage528]

I've got a Parker (1920) 12ga that looks great on the outside and fits me well. My issue with the gun is the barrels are pitted, my smith said I should not shoot it. Most of the pitting forward of the chamber out to about 10 inches. He suggested I get a set of Side-Kicks and shoot 20ga. Has anyone have experience with them in an SXS? If not, I have a $250 wall hanger.
Thanks

 

[Red Leg]

You definitely do not want to shoot regular 12 bore loads in a badly pitted barrel. I have a set of their earlier version that simply fits in the chamber for a 1880's era 10 bore. The barrels are fine, but the old style 11/4 ounce 10 bore loads are really hard to find. I can then shoot modern 12 loads out it for clays.

The new version which you mention are about six-inches long, and if your gunsmith says that will take the pressure safely past the damaged area, then you should be fine.

Depending on the model of your Parker, the only other option is to have the barrels sleeved. Not sure who does that on fine guns in the US these days, but that essentially removes the damaged barrels forward of the chamber. The last time I had a gun done was about fifteen years ago on a fine London sidelock. Back then it was over two grand and only made sense on a fine gun (as expensive). Depending on the grade of your Parker, that might make economic sense.

 

[mark-hunter]

He suggested I get a set of Side-Kicks and shoot 20ga.

How these things look like? First time I hear about this?
Thanks!

 

[rookhawk]

You definitely do not want to shoot regular 12 bore loads in a badly pitted barrel. I have a set of their earlier version that simply fits in the chamber for a 1880's era 10 bore. The barrels are fine, but the old style 11/4 ounce 10 bore loads are really hard to find. I can then shoot modern 12 loads out it for clays.

The new version which you mention are about six-inches long, and if your gunsmith says that will take the pressure safely past the damaged area, then you should be fine.

Depending on the model of your Parker, the only other option is to have the barrels sleeved. Not sure who does that on fine guns in the US these days, but that essentially removes the damaged barrels forward of the chamber. The last time I had a gun done was about fifteen years ago on a fine London sidelock. Back then it was over two grand and only made sense on a fine gun (as expensive). Depending on the grade of your Parker, that might make economic sense.

@Red Leg is correct on the options and risks, but his pricepoint for sleeving is a bit dated in my opinion. To cut a set of barrels down to a monobloc, sleeve, relay ribs, polish, rechase the minor engraving, and rust blue it properly is now a $4000 job. Usually, you can buy 2-3 parkers for that amount of money if its a trojan, VH, VHE, etc. Heck, a really nice DHE can be had for the price of the sleeve job. A sleeved gun with a $4000 sleeve-job has a resale value of $800-$1200 unless an extraordinary specimen.

The biggest question I always have is whether the gunsmith knew what he was talking about, most do not. I would clean the living heck out of the barrel and I would use a couple of different wall thickness gauges to assess the depth of the pits. It may be possible that honing it would provide sufficient remaining wall thickness for proper 2.5" shells. There are a majority of unqualified gunsmiths that believe any gun with damascus barrels, or any gun with 2.5" chambers is automatically a wall hanger.

Adding subgauge 20 bore tubes to the gun might cost $700-$1000, but it will handle and shoot like a pig on the end of a shovel.

Top priority is to get an actual expert on double barrels to render an opinion on the actual barrel condition. You may be $200 away from a wholly acceptable, honed gun. Otherwise, buy another Parker and hang this one on the wall.