Why Vintage Firearms Mandate Careful Ammunition Selection

[Hunter-Habib]

A young friend went duck hunting today, with his 1953 made 12 gauge (2.75”) fully choked BSA (Birmingham Small Arms) Model XII. Those of you who’ve read my autobiography, will know that this shotgun once belonged to my late paternal uncle and I used it extensively for wing shooting during my youth.

The gun’s current owner has been using the weapon responsibly (ever since he purchased it one year ago) and only runs 36 gram loads through it, since the shotgun is proofed for 1 1/4 Oz of lead shot (he is currently using Sellier & Bellot Fortuna 36 gram No. 4s). Despite this, the gun developed a problem recently.

Contrast the gun’s current condition with how it was in November 2024 (when the young man first purchased it).

In my opinion, vintage firearms will always have charm & great character. But when it comes to metallurgical superiority, modern firearms hold the definite edge.

 

[bigborelover]

Sir i have a question. Will a older firearm like this become essentially useless if a manufacture goes bankrupt or stops manufacturing bullets for a particular gun. Something like what happened to english calibers after kynoch went bankrupt.

 

[mark-hunter]

But when it comes to metallurgical superiority, modern firearms hold the definite edge.

This is why I prefer modern OU, steel shot proofed, in 12/76 gauge, but shooting mostly 12/70 loads.
Thank you for report!

 

[Tex .416]

Reading your history with this gun makes this a very sad sight. My first shotgun was a single shot 20 gauge. It was good to learn to make the shot count.

 

[Hogpatrol]

Could be repaired with the knowledge that another failure point may appear.

 

[leslie hetrick]

it could be fixed with some sort welding, but would most likey fail in and other area. it maybe time to hang in on the wall and remember the good times he had a field hunting with it.

 

[grand veneur]

Sir i have a question. Will a older firearm like this become essentially useless if a manufacture goes bankrupt or stops manufacturing bullets for a particular gun. Something like what happened to english calibers after kynoch went bankrupt.

Not in all cases, but anyone using an old firearm needs to be familiar with the ammunition used at the time and adjust their current used ammunition accordingly. It is clear that the iron used for building our modern firearms is superior to those of 100 years ago, but the barrels were also at the time adapted to the burning rates of the powders used. The absolut majority of this powders were fast burning ones. In practice, all of this must be taken into account with older firearms, and if suitable ammunition is no longer available, reloading is necessary to produce cartridges that are as close as possible to the originals. The type of bullets or shots to be used also needs to be taken into account.

 

[Sarg]

That’s a sad sight for sure, Shaiaz will be very unhappy ?

With our new Firearm law changes we are cutting up & scrapping many older firearms not worth the trouble to register & many single barrel shotguns are amongst them !

In West Africa, nearly every Man & Child had a 12ga single barrel shotgun, with some few SxS, almost to the gun Russian Baikals, some in unbelievably bad state having a steady diet of Buckshot !

 

[grand veneur]

My guide in Burkina Faso always carried a single barrel shotgun too. It was 12ga Simplex from Manufrance. Its condition was also a bit questionable. I always bought him, before wie were going hunt buffalo, birdshots N°7 that was safe to shoot in his gun, but I know that he also shot occasionally buckshot and slugs in this rifle.

 

[Sarg]

My guide in Burkina Faso always carried a single barrel shotgun too. It was 12ga Simplex from Manufrance. Its condition was also a bit questionable. I always bought him, before wie were going hunt buffalo, birdshots N°7 that was safe to shoot in his gun, but I know that he also shot occasionally buckshot and slugs in this rifle.

I found a pic of one of the better (lol) ones.

Note the full length kitchen knife attached to calf & rubber taped to the stock !

 

[grand veneur]

In the background of this picture, you can see a bolt action rifle that the same guide also carried at times. The rifle caliber 10,75x68 was quite rusty and had no sights. He also seems to have had very little or perhaps no ammunition for it. I also owned a rifle of this caliber at that time, but on the advice of the local outfitter I absolutely should not given the guide any ammunition, not because the rifle was unsafe, what it was, but as he did not trust him regarding poaching.

 

[Shootist43]

Hunter Habib, "before throwing the baby out with the bath water" I'd take the shotgun to a competent gunsmith and ask for his opinion. A little grinding coupled with a simple "mig" or "tig" weld might be all that is necessary. Old metallurgy might be inferior but big bores are still being built on P-14 and M-17 actions.

 

[RedTag]

I think this is good old fashioned metal fatigue, from the gun being opened and closed a great many times, not necessarily an ammunition compatibility problem. The gun should have been fine with the ammunition you specified. Avoiding steel shot would of course be prudent as would avoiding any sort of slug or specifically high velocity loads. I personally tend to think the 1950s in particular was a time when material science and manufacturing technology were pretty well balanced with traditional design and competent craftsmanship. But nothing is perfect and everything wears out eventually. Maybe time to hang this one on the wall beside some photos of her former glory.

 

[grand veneur]

I would not repair it either, because if a fatigue cracks appears in one place, it can appear somewhere else. Despite the good reputation of this type of single barrel shotguns, it remains a mass-produced item with all the defects that can occur during the production. Even the best proofing of a rifle is a one-time test, which does not guarantee how a rifle will perform over long term.

 

[Ridge Runner]

Bird shot, Buck shot, Slug, the payload is irrelevant!!! on older, or any, (shotgun) firearms!

What matters is!!:
the type powder!!,
the powder charge,
the powder charge pressure!

This particular firearm has a manufacturing date of 1953. It is chambered for 2.75" shells with ammunition using powders and powder charges manufactured in 1953, and earlier! In 1953 the payload was lead! The cartridge/hull was paper; which also makes a somewhat difference; with regard to pressure.

Sadly, this referenced firearm is, or should be, retired, to the wall or safe, and memorialized with photos of its history.

For future reference: there's absolutely nothing wrong with using "antique"/old shotguns (firearms), as firearms regardless of: age, price, quality, etc, etc, etc, are meant to be used in the field. However, they are meant to be fed the appropriate ammunition of the era for when the firearm was produced.

Such firearms should never be fed the higher pressure loads, and non lead payloads manufactured of today.

Thankfully, the shooter discovered the defects in the firearm before continuing to fire inappropriate ammunition and causing injury or worse to themselves or others nearby.

I wouldn't be surprised if there wasn't some "sloppiness", "wiggling", etc, on lock up. As this would be the first sign of using higher pressure ammunition in a firearm not meant to shoot medium and high brass ammunition.

 

[Ridge Runner]

I think this is good old fashioned metal fatigue, from the gun being opened and closed a great many times, not necessarily an ammunition compatibility problem. The gun should have been fine with the ammunition you specified. Avoiding steel shot would of course be prudent as would avoiding any sort of slug or specifically high velocity loads. I personally tend to think the 1950s in particular was a time when material science and manufacturing technology were pretty well balanced with traditional design and competent craftsmanship. But nothing is perfect and everything wears out eventually. Maybe time to hang this one on the wall beside some photos of her former glory.

It's not persa metal fatigue from opening and closing the action a multitude of times.

It's definitely metal fatigue from using modern higher pressure ammunition, as this is a stress fracture caused by excessive recoil and pressure from using modern higher pressure ammunition not meant to be used in this firearm.

 

[rookhawk]

It can be fixed with a micro TIG, cut out the crack, wire feed fill it in stages, dress it down.

I do not think the metallurgy was bad, I suspect it was being shot when it was "off face" which caused a concussive force on the lug. Just conjecture.

All shotguns will come off face eventually (yes, even an AH Fox, but its toplever helps immensely) Getting a shotgun put back on face is easy, failing to do so can lead to catastrophe. Its not an issue of vintage, its an issue of maintenance after a lot of use.

 

[Shootist43]

Rookhawk, my sentiments exactly.

 

[Red Leg]

Sir i have a question. Will a older firearm like this become essentially useless if a manufacture goes bankrupt or stops manufacturing bullets for a particular gun. Something like what happened to english calibers after kynoch went bankrupt.

Quality firearms do not become useless, and there is no reason to retire them. I regularly hunt hundred plus year young SxS's. Most are proofed for 1 1/8 ounces of shot and 2 1/2 shells. I order 2 1/2 inch shells by the flat that are delivered to my door. None of the manufacturers of these guns are still in business. But these guns were hand fitted so there were never drawers of replacement parts. Fortunately, a number of gunmaker/smiths in this country can make any pin or spring needed.

My most difficult rifles to feed ammunition are a pair of 318 WR, one built just before and the other just after WWI. The ammunition isn't available at Bass Pro. However, a number of custom loaders will happily and competently create it.