I was currently having trouble removing a choke from a used Winchester 12 ga. that I had bought. I finally was successful in removing it by putting the barrell in a vice and using a pipe wrench on the choke it's self, however when I was putting the gun back together, I noticed when I looked down the barrel there were dents from the vice. These dents are not huge but they are noticable. Will these dents affect the integrity of the barrel and cause it to blow the side of the barrel out where the dents are?

Signed,
Afraid to Shoot

I am sure that at some point the dents may cause a safety problem, but I don't know what that point is?

As the dents can be removed, by applying a hydraulic or mechanical mandrel to the inside of the bore, I personally would have any visible dents removed before firing it. I would think that Nu-Line guns ( www.nu-lineguns.com ) could handle the job, and I believe that Brownell's sells such equipment, but it would not be cost-effective for a one-time job.

Good luck and welcome to the forum,

Bill

"putting the barrel in a vice and using a pipe wrench on the choke it's self..........."

Suffice it to say pipe wrenches and bare jawed bench vices have no place in gunsmithing. You need to understand and use proper procedures and tools when working on guns. If you don't you will destroy your guns and maybe even yourself.

The cost of haveing the dents pressed out will exceed the cost of a new barrel. GPC has barrels. Consiter it an expensive lesson.

You need to get some gunsmithing books. Maybe Roy Dunlap's "Gunsmithing" book. It is excellent but, out of print and worth finding a copy. Try a used book seller on the net. You will find that you can make lots of your own tools for almost no money. Your choke could have been removed easily with no damage. Dunlap's book will give you ideas. In the meantime easy on the home
"smithing" Good luck.

[ 09-10-2002, 00:24: Message edited by: scot ]