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How can I tell if a gun has been bodged?

Crisp screw heads are a good pointer to overall condition.

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Monday, 25 June 2007

I have been offered a gun in a private sale which, although it looks good, I fear has been the subject of some amateur gunsmithing attention. Are there any telltale signs?

Technical
MIKE GEORGE says: I would begin by looking at all of the external screw heads on the gun. There should be no chips or burrs in or around the screwdriver slots, or scratches on the heads or on the surrounding metal.

Gunsmiths are most fussy on this point, and always use screwdrivers which fit the screw heads exactly.

The screwdriver slots should also all be aligned in the same direction, in a fore-and-aft plane in line with the axis of the barrels. That's another point on which good gunsmiths are very fussy.


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