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Here is a service that you and every gunsmith in the world should be offering all shotgun shooters. However, due to a lack of proper instructions and tools, along with the fact that most shooters are unaware of the solution, this correction has been provided by only a handful of knowledgeable gunsmiths. These professionals have made heroes of themselves (and profits) in their trade areas. You too can and should follow their lead. It is profitable... the guns need it... and the shooters want it!
The trapshooting customer will appreciate your expertise, the skeet shooter will be eager to defend you, and the hunter will swear you have performed a miracle on his old Bess! By reworking an improper chamber, you will:
All you need are the Walker Gauges, the proper chamber and Forcing Cone Reamers, along with the Instructions we provide, to ensure the gun has the correct chamber dimensions for modern, star crimped, plastic shells. Just like that, you will make many people happy, build a reputation for yourself as a knowledgeable shotgun expert, and earn a respectable profit. An unbeatable combination!
It is generally believed that the "right choke" is crucial for pattern, recoil, and performance. While choke is important, the configuration of the chamber and forcing cone is equally, if not more, significant. All three—choke, cone, and chamber—must work together for optimal performance.
There are millions of shotguns in use today with obsolete "short" chambers and forcing cones that cannot deliver a satisfactory pattern without "free holes" when shooting modern, star-crimped shells. These outdated chambers can cause excessive recoil and unnecessary pressure while performing far below expected standards.
The issue with chambers is that, over the years, a variety of "correct depths" have been used for the shells being manufactured, many of which are shorter than 2-¾" or 3" in overall length. When combined with a short Forcing Cone (the taper from chamber diameter to bore diameter), the results are:
That crimp must have room to unfold completely flat when the shot and wad move from case to bore. Any obstruction caused by a short chamber can lead to significant issues.
The purpose of the Walker Chamber Gauge is threefold:
This system was developed and proven by the late Ralph Walker, a gunsmith from Selma, Alabama, who utilized it in his shop. Instructions for the work were written and illustrated by Ralph himself. As he stated in a letter to us: "I think the troops will take to the depth gauges plus the chamber re-working jobs and will find as much work as they have with the choke work (which Ralph also developed) if they will do half a job of selling."
Before adjusting the choke on a customer's gun with our choke reamers and hones, check the gun's chamber using the proper Walker Chamber Gauge while the customer is present. Explain what you are doing and why it is valuable. Highlight the advantages of the long forcing cone—it will enhance your reputation as an authority on the subject.
If your customer understands (and most will) and orders the chamber/long forcing cone job along with the choke adjustment, correct the chamber first and pattern the gun before making the choke adjustment. The results from following this technique can be described as phenomenal. You will have secured two jobs instead of one and made your customer very happy. In summary: an excellent and profitable service you should start offering immediately.
28 Gauge
Chamber Gauge 2-3/4''
Chamber
Ok, but you have to double check things 24/03/2018
The 2 3/4" mark on a tape measure fell a little below the bottom ring. Using the chamber gauge in my 2 3/4" Citori Superlight the bottom (2 3/4") ring sat up above the top of barrel by a small amount. The tape measure showed the other two rings were not entirely accurate either.
Trying to measure a gun with 2 5/8" chambers can be a little challenging unless you measure a modern gun with 2 3/4" chambers and compare the results. In contrast the chamber gauge for 16 gauge guns measured spot on with a tape measure for both marks and worked well in a vintage gun, so the 12 gauge unit I ended up with was not machined as precisely as it could have been.
Easy to use with a break open gun. I would recommend this with the caveat you need to check it with a tape measure first and correlate that with what you see when you are measuring with it.
Shotgun has to be taken apart 03/11/2017
Bought this to measure the chambers in my Model 1912 and Model 1897 Winchesters. Will not fit through the ejection port and is to long to feed through the magazine. Had to break down both shotguns to measure the chamber. The only way to use is to take all internals out of the guns and insert the tool and then put the barrels back on (with my take-downs). An inconvenience but it did tell me what I needed to know about my chambers.
I would recommend but you need to know the limitations.
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