What is my shotgun proofed for?

BrownTrout

I don't know how to upload photos yet so I'm going to try describe my proofing marks as best as possible.

It's an Italian gun.

On the barrel it says CAM 76 and it says 18.3 on both barrels?

Pressure is given as KG 1,390

One mark I'm not sure of is PSF with two stars over it?

Can anybody explain these marks and what sort of loads can my gun safely take?

tac foley

18.3 = 12 gauge.

1,390 is NOT the pressure - in Europe the comma is used like a decimal point. It is the weight of the barrels in kilograms - 1,390 grammes.

Two stars over PSF = Magnum or Superior Proof.

PSF means Pulvere senza fumo - smokeless powder.

CAM 76 means that the chamber is 76mm long - 3".

So your shotgun is proofed for 3" Magnum 12g cartridges.

tac

MiskyBoyy

"The only other important number on your barrel should be the stamp, which signifies the length of the chamber. Most Trap barrels will have ‘CAM 70’ written on it, which details the maximum 70mm length of the cartridge to be loaded in it. However, there are quite a few that read ‘CAM 76’, which means it can take a 76mm (3") Magnum-type shotshell. "

Source: http://www.ssaa.org.au/competition-info/stories/clay-target_question60-eric.html

BrownTrout

Thanks lads, it's a side by side so would a Magnum cartridge in say, 42g be very hard in the gun or on the shoulder?

tac foley

Only you can be the judge of the effect on your shoulder, since it's your shoulder under discussion. My pal Rick would say go ahead, but he's 7ft 2". The gun, OTOH is proofed for 3" Magnum cartridges. The weight of the shot content is an unknown for me, since I don't have any kind of a shotgun, nor do I shoot one belonging to another person.

tac

BrownTrout

Thanks for that lads, never knew the gun was magnum proofed. Nice to have the variety of ammunition,

What sort of quarry are magnum loads suited to?

meathstevie

BrownTrout wrote: »

Thanks for that lads, never knew the gun was magnum proofed. Nice to have the variety of ammunition,

What sort of quarry are magnum loads suited to?

Fox, geese, high flying duck and if you happen to be a farmer livestock protection from marauding canines.

meathstevie

BrownTrout wrote: »

Thanks lads, it's a side by side so would a Magnum cartridge in say, 42g be very hard in the gun or on the shoulder?

Let's say that you won't forget how to shoulder a gun properly after a first mistake. The gun should have no bother with the loads if it's in good order.

BrownTrout

meathstevie wrote:

Let's say that you won't forget how to shoulder a gun properly after a first mistake. The gun should have no bother with the loads if it's in good order.

The gun is mechanically perfect, just the odd spot of rust on the outside of the barrel

meathstevie

BrownTrout wrote: »

The gun is mechanically perfect, just the odd spot of rust on the outside of the barrel

Steelwool and good gun oil will sort that if it's superficial.

BrownTrout

meathstevie wrote:

Steelwool and good gun oil will sort that if it's superficial.

Sound for that man,
Out of curiosity, anyone know how much it costs to re-blue a gun?

tac foley

@Browntrout - somewhere near the breeching, probably on the water-table [that's the flat bit of the action that you see when you open the gun or take the barrels off] there is a little box-shaped stamp with either a set of Roman numerals in it, or a couple of letters. Tell us what they are and we can date your gun, and let YOU decide if you want to spend the many hundreds of euros getting it reblacked.

That's right, blacked. Rifles and handguns are blued, but shotguns are blacked or browned.

tac

BrownTrout

tac foley wrote: »

@Browntrout - somewhere near the breeching, probably on the water-table [that's the flat bit of the action that you see when you open the gun or take the barrels off] there is a little box-shaped stamp with either a set of Roman numerals in it, or a couple of letters. Tell us what they are and we can date your gun, and let YOU decide if you want to spend the many hundreds of euros getting it reblacked.

That's right, blacked. Rifles and handguns are blued, but shotguns are blacked or browned.

tac

It says AP which is 1986. It's my dads gun and I only licensed it last year, he has kept it in good condition sice he bought it in the 80's but there is just a few barely noticeable spots of rust on the barrels.

Will this deteriorate or will it be grand? The gun is an AV Maroccini

tac foley

A couple of small spots, it treated as suggested above, won't cause much harm provided that they go no further. Getting your 500eu shotgun blacked could easily cost the same amount as it's worth, and add nothing to the value.

I would suggest, however, that bronze wool - 0000 grade - would be kinder than steel.

Your call.

tac

BrownTrout

tac foley wrote: »

A couple of small spots, it treated as suggested above, won't cause much harm provided that they go no further. Getting your 500eu shotgun blacked could easily cost the same amount as it's worth, and add nothing to the value.

I would suggest, however, that bronze wool - 0000 grade - would be kinder than steel.

Your call.

tac

Thanks for that, I clean and dry the gun after every outing so that should prevent any more rusting. May be a few years down then line I'll do a restoration job if it needs one but its grand for now