Is this barrel repairable? (Auto5)

blasted_saber said:
My thoughts exactly
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The story behind this auto5. I picked it up locally from a gentleman who was looking to sell it to help fund for a new slug gun with a rifled barrel. He had mentioned that Hastings makes a rifled barrel for this gun, however it only recommends 2-3/4" shells. Because of this he no longer wanted the gun. He did make it clear that this was a Japan auto5 with the invector plus choke system but he didn't see the notches to remove the choke tube. So I asked him to send me a picture of the end of the barrel and it was clear that it has been cut with the choke left in. So once we met up further inspection shows that this poor gun has been somewhat abused.

I'm guessing because some of the ribs on the barrel were dented, Along with the cut barrel and all the wood was switched over to synthetic it had been dropped out of a truck and ran over or something to that effect? The plus side is the blueing is still in decent shape and it cycles like a true auto5!

I found a company in the states who build custom chokes tubes to any spec for $80 USD. This too might be an option to look into if they can design one for me that will just come out like a extendable choke tube.

Also would it be possible to just machine a sleeve to go over the exposed choke and have it pressed in to increase some strength?

catnthehatt said:
Not yet, got tied up with ridiculous stuff like going for groceries :>(
Cat
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LOL
 
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I did a little looking tonight, I don't have a bore gauge small enough at home but I do have a thickness gauge. I checked out four Invector Plus tubes, a Full, Mod, IC and Skeet, they each have a parallel section on the muzzle end ranging from roughly 1/2 to 5/8 long. That must be around the same that's cut off of your barrel so if you cut one to fit your barrel you should have the right choke constriction, but losing the parallel section it may not pattern all that great. Only one way to find out.
I don't think a sleeve would help strengthen it any, But if you put a knurled sleeve on it, it would look like any of the extended tubes. A sleeve would also shrink the ID of the choke tube one or two thou. not enough to worry about.
 
*UPDATE*

As of today I have shown the gun to two repitable gunsmiths, one being the only authorized browning rep in Ontario who deals with warrantee work and both of them said the gun is perfectly safe to operate. Although it doesn't look astedicly pleasing there is no comprise in the strength of the barrel and its operation.
Surprisingly the Japan auto 5 barrel is almost twice the thickness in the choke section compared to most shot guns. They both explained that most of the pressure built up in the barrel happens within a inch of the choke tube, which is why it was common for older shotguns to had a bulge in the barrel.
So if you compare the thickness of this barrel to a winchester for example the browning is almost twice as thick and the choke tubes are even thicker in the browning application proving that the barrel in fact doesn't help strengthen the choke tube itself.
 
Chris_E said:
*UPDATE*

As of today I have shown the gun to two repitable gunsmiths, one being the only authorized browning rep in Ontario who deals with warrantee work and both of them said the gun is perfectly safe to operate. Although it doesn't look astedicly pleasing there is no comprise in the strength of the barrel and its operation.
Surprisingly the Japan auto 5 barrel is almost twice the thickness in the choke section compared to most shot guns. They both explained that most of the pressure built up in the barrel happens within a inch of the choke tube, which is why it was common for older shotguns to had a bulge in the barrel.
So if you compare the thickness of this barrel to a winchester for example the browning is almost twice as thick and the choke tubes are even thicker in the browning application proving that the barrel in fact doesn't help strengthen the choke tube itself.
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Any time a tube is tightly surrounded by steel , as in a barrel / choke aplication it is stronger. Just like the chamber end of the barrel and the cartridge.
Barrel thickness will be also determined by the properties of the steel used in making it. Some alloys are stronger, and will allow a thinner lighter barrel to be made.

The choke tube may very well be strong enough to withstand shooting without being surrounded by the barrel, but when surrounded by barrel steel it certainly is stronger.
Did you get any inside measurements on tubes at the cut off length ?
Why don't you cut off the tube you bubaded with the bolt and measure it? It is screwed now anyway.
 
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This weekend I will mic some of the father inlaws chokes.

Now something just came across my mind. Prior to the browning "invector plus" choke system they had the "invector" chokes. when looking at them online they look to have the same thread design but are much shorter in length. So I'm going to bring my barrel to a few shops tomorrow along with the invector plus choke and compare the two.
 
Chris_E said:
This weekend I will mic some of the father inlaws chokes.

Now something just came across my mind. Prior to the browning "invector plus" choke system they had the "invector" chokes. when looking at them online they look to have the same thread design but are much shorter in length. So I'm going to bring my barrel to a few shops tomorrow along with the invector plus choke and compare the two.
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The invector barrel and the invector plus barrel are different in that they have different bore diameters . standard invector would have a bore diameter of .729 - .730 .invector plus is a back bored barrel with a bore diameter of approx. .742 .
 
I finally found the time to get a sleeve made up to go over my chokes.

Had two made from stainless, pressed fitted over the choke by heat only along with a slight knirled finish.
The OD of the new sleeve is slightly larger then the barrel but it's hardly noticeable.

Let me know what your guys think?

Price to fix it up was only $40 for two.
8657B87B-9684-4941-BF41-EF03A12B5007_zpsaqkb18eu.jpg

EE81BAFA-35CB-42BE-91E6-58A63D122E29_zpsgvtmgk3m.jpg
2B08DDB1-1D29-491A-A81F-B46CC231AA9F_zpsdungecnw.jpg
2B08DDB1-1D29-491A-A81F-B46CC231AA9F_zpsdungecnw.jpg
4F4D1501-895C-49E4-8A7A-3B33CB356967_zps5xwdmgm2.jpg
 
I finally found the time to get a sleeve made up to go over my chokes.

Had two made from stainless, pressed fitted over the choke by heat only along with a slight knirled finish.
The OD of the new sleeve is slightly larger then the barrel but it's hardly noticeable.

Let me know what your guys think?

Price to fix it up was only $40 for two.
8657B87B-9684-4941-BF41-EF03A12B5007_zpsaqkb18eu.jpg

EE81BAFA-35CB-42BE-91E6-58A63D122E29_zpsgvtmgk3m.jpg
2B08DDB1-1D29-491A-A81F-B46CC231AA9F_zpsdungecnw.jpg
4F4D1501-895C-49E4-8A7A-3B33CB356967_zps5xwdmgm2.jpg
 
petew said:
Any time a tube is tightly surrounded by steel , as in a barrel / choke aplication it is stronger. Just like the chamber end of the barrel and the cartridge.
Barrel thickness will be also determined by the properties of the steel used in making it. Some alloys are stronger, and will allow a thinner lighter barrel to be made.

The choke tube may very well be strong enough to withstand shooting without being surrounded by the barrel, but when surrounded by barrel steel it certainly is stronger.
Did you get any inside measurements on tubes at the cut off length ?
Why don't you cut off the tube you bubaded with the bolt and measure it? It is screwed now anyway.
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For this to be true the choke would have to be an interference fit which is size for size. However all choke tube systems are a clearance fit to be removable thus the thin steel from the barrel does absolutely nothing for integrity of the choke tube. The threaded portion will take the rigidity needed for the shot pressure.
 
Winchested said:
For this to be true the choke would have to be an interference fit which is size for size. However all choke tube systems are a clearance fit to be removable thus the thin steel from the barrel does absolutely nothing for integrity of the choke tube. The threaded portion will take the rigidity needed for the shot pressure.
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2X on this. ^^^
That looks great. Nice job. Did the bore size change any with the sleeve on?
 
Thanks everyone for all the positive feedback.

My dog is a perfect example of when a man comprimses with his wife.... I've wanted a Jack Russell for a number of years, and she didn't think the cat would survive if we had one so we got this little guy, Jack Russell chihuahua. Yet, despite his looks, he is incredible quick and has no issues at all running down a rabbit. And as you can see he follows me where ever I go.

Regarding the the size of the bore, do you mean the inside dia of the choke tube? If so I'm not sure, I didn't end up measuring it with the calipers before/ after the sleeve was installed. Let me know if that's what you where asking?
 
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