There is some discussion of the alloy frames on some drillings in a recent thread. Between all my chemistry courses and engineering courses, I have just enough education to be dangerous, but not enough to understand how they've done this. How come there is no galvanic reaction between the metals and how does old wimpy aluminum get that strong. I've had a number of steel framed O/U's, cape guns and one drilling that were off face. Do the alloy frames hold up? Do the folks that have them like them? Not trying to offend anyone who loves these guns, I'm just curious.
Thanks
Bfly

Galvanic reaction requires moisture and a conducting material such as salt .
Some of the aluminum O/U shotguns have a wear plate at the center of the breech .My Beretta O/U is 7.25 lbs but there was a light weight version of 5.75 lbs IIRC .Excellent for things like grouse where you walk a lot and shoot a little .With the extra recoil you wouldn't want to shoot a lot anyway and I doubt that the gun would hold up nearly as well as an all steel version.

Drillings in general aren't designed to be shot a lot like a typical SXS double-gun. They are designed to be as light as possible for moderate shooting, usually in a stand.

If I need to play with one of my drillings and shoot trap or sporting clays I use the lightest loads I can get my hands on. They aren't the ticket for clays, but they don't hammer your delicate drilling, either.

I have an alloy framed Ferlach built Combo, built in 1974 in 7x65R. It is beautifully light, but seems more than strong enough. But then it is never going to get a huge number of rounds through it. The critical parts, ie the hinge pin, and bolting are all steel. The bottom barrel is the rifle, with the barrel at the action probably 1/2" and the bottom frame is also 1/2" thick - ie it is not a 16 bore size at the bottom, with the frame very thin. I would be more concerned if it was an alloy actioned for a double barreled shotgun, with most of the meat in the barrels rather in the frame.

Had n't thought about galvanic action, but I do keep in nicely cleaned and well oiled.

Lived in Germany for many years. You hear lots of opinions about "Dural" (alloy) actions. The gunsmiths I have talked to all seem to be of a similar opinion....early alloy actions had some problems. Because some post war guns were initially built with prewar parts, it was recommended to me that alloy guns from the late 1950s on are a better choice and under normal use, they are as durable as steel.

I shoot a broad range of shells with both my drillings....RST to B&P F2s. Have even shot 5 stand a few times for fun. I think you would have to really shoot a great deal to "break" an alloy action from Sauer, Krieghoff, Ferlach, etc.

I have only seen one alloy action that was broken and the owner admitted he had used 7x65R reloads that he had not intended for the gun.

I have only owned three drillings with
dural frames--hardly a statistical sample. They were all tight on face and had no problems with wear, except on the finish of the action. All of them had been originally coated or anodized and the coating was worn off on all three. I do not own any Dural frame guns for that reason. On the other hand, I have a Krieghoff Ultra and I wanted to have a 9.3X74R insert barrel installed in the 20Ga shotgun barrel to make a double rifle. Krieghoff would only do it on a steel framed gun, which luckily mine is.

Allan

Dural is IIRC a German development .It goes back to about 1920. It was the first heat treatable aluminum alloy .The major alloying element is copper. I have no idea what alloys they use today .S&W revolvers called "scandium framed " are actually aluminum alloy with a bit [no more than about 1 %] scandium.

Thanks for the information. I can certainly see the weight reduction value, especially on a shotgun drilling. I've noticed the finsih flaking on some of the alloy frames I've seen, like Vol717 noted. Some were grey colored, another was kind of, but not quite case hardened looking. As I understand it, it couldn't be bluing. Is is an annodized kind of finish, or some kind of painted on coloring, something like Savage did on some of it's 24's? Which makes me wonder what you would do to protect it, or if it flaked, to restore it.
Thanks
Bfly

That's hard to tell these days . Some 'color case hardened' guns have a painted on finish . Aluminum is normally anodized and the anodized coating [actually oxide] has a colored die introduced . There are a good number of finishes used these days .
WARNING ! Some of the finishes on aluminum and titanium guns are very important. Don't polish with abrasives to avoid removing the critical coating ! READ the instructions !