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So I've found a Hunter Arms "Fulton" it's basically the same as my Ranger - the Ranger seems to be a little "finer" in that it has an ebony grip cap, mid-bead and ivory bead.

My question is:
Can I safely interchange the barrels on these guns or are there points of manufacturing of doubles I may be missing?

The Fulton is tight on face and the lever way right of center - even more than my Ranger

TIA

Sprocket, I am no expert but there is usually some handfitting required on doubles. Chances are there will be some inconsistencies between the two guns. IMHO.

Sprocket, You would probably be better off having the chokes opened on you existing gun. Its cheaper and will be a better move. It will not change the gun dramatically and you won't be destroying one old gun to make another more suitable to your needs. That can be a waste of American heritage IMO.

The older mass produced American double guns were not machined to the extremely uniform tolerences as modern computer controlled machines can do today.The best ones were cut with a tad extra steel and then hand fitted with files and stoning to fit very snugly. Its probably only by the rarest stroke of luck that it would be possible to remove parts from one old double and fit them to another without any hand work. Also, it requires that the part being fitted have some extra steel to work with. Some parts of mimimum tolerance will not work. this is also why you should always pass on an old doubles gun made up of parts from several others unless you know the history of it intimately including who did the work.

I'll finish this thumbnail history of our mass produced gun history through today here. It might help some folks understand the how and why of things so they can make a more informed buy when they do.

The men and women who did the fine work in assembling doubles guns and other finely fit firearms like revolvers were called fitters and were very skilled. However, during the WWI years, demand for guns and labor skyrocketed. Methods needed to be speeded up. Both cutting machinery and tools were improved. As demand and labor costs went up, manufactures started making and stockpiling parts in huge quantities. The parts were sorted into batches according to a range of acceptable tolerences. Fitters could then assemble guns by trial and error with much less hand fitting, filing and stoning. This method worked well if the part selection was careful. Much of the weaponry and war machines used in WWI and II was made this way with lots of government hired and trained inspectors to keep an eye on things.

After WWI, demand dropped off and manufacturing was cut back.Then when the depression hit in the early 1930's, demand for finely fitted double guns pretty much stopped. Most of the finely skilled workmen and women were lost forever to the fall off in jobs. The quality of mass produced double guns suffered and was not to recover until much later. During this period, pump guns and autos started to catch on too. These guns were also being designed to take advantage of the newer manufacturing methods and to keep costs down.

After the two world wars, the above trial and error method of fitting parts from lots was retained, but the government inspectors were employed only at weapons facilities. During this time from the late 40's through the early 1980's the quality and close fitting on many types of civilian and sporting arms went to hell in a hand basket. Guns like doubles and revolvers suffered greatly. Some of the very worst fitted Smith and Wesson revolvers ever made were made after 1960.

Gun designs were also created or changed to allow for even looser tolerences and to use simple stampings and castings as easier and quicker methods developed during the war years were put into practice for civilian arms. The Remington 1100/870 series guns are a prime example of a successful design based on this method. Ruger is an example of one company that built an entire line of very well made guns based on cast frames and stamped and folded steel or alloy parts. Things remained fairly static in the gun manufacturing business until about 1980.

With the advent of computer controlled machining developed during the space race era and the cold war for the aeronautics industry, it became once again possible to make parts and componants with tolerences as tight as any from the hand fitted era but much quicker and cheaper. That is why so many of the older gun designs are being resurrected and why guns made after the early 1980's show such a remarkable increase in close fitting and better quality.

The Japanese gun manufacturers led the way in adapting this new computer driven method of mass producing machined parts to extemely close tolerences. Such guns as the Parker reproductions, and Classic Doubles SxS guns, the high quality O/U guns, and any other resurrected designs like the 1886 and 1892 Winchester Reproductions are examples of just how well old designs can be made again and at a much more affordable cost.

If you were to compare a Citori made by Miroku in the mid 1970's with a brand new one, you will be amazed at how much more uniform the parts are. Quite a few Citori models made after 1999 will readily accept the barrels of another model that uses the same frame. My newest 131 series 28 and .410 models will accept each other's barrels quite well. This is because tolerances can be held to a very narrow range now. This simplifies assembling these guns immencely, and cuts the cost of labor.

Some folks refer to such closely and cleverly made guns as cookie cutter types. I think that is flawed thinking, because these guns are very well made of finely fitting parts, very functional, easy to shoot, and made of much touyher steel so they will outlast their owners by two lifetimes if well cared for.

We are lucky to be living in an era where a fine double can be purchased for less than 4K today. That same gun made by hand fitting would cost 5 times that much or more. That is why I advocate buying a modern well made gun for general use. Like it or not, many of the better quality double shotguns made today are the best ever made--all prejudice and nostalgia aside.

Of course, this does not mean those fine old doubles from before 1950 should be junked and forgotten. I truely admire the skill and workmenship of those excellent gun fitters of long ago. Many of the mass produced American doubles from prior years like Parkers, Foxes, and others are a testimonial to Yankee know how and skill. However, they will never be able to compete with the toughness and durability of the better made doubles of today.

So if you own one of the early mass prodiuced doubles from before WWII, treat it with respect. You hold an irreplaceable piece of American heritage and history in your hands. Best leave it as close to original as possible and never destroy one gun to salvage another. Best buy a new one that better suits your needs if you can IMO. Shoot the old one when it suits your purpose. Use the new one for your regular duties. It will serve you better in general.

Thanks 16GG - looks like the reasonable options are:
open the chokes in existing gun
tube the existing gun
buy the second gun and open or tube

16gaugegy,

Great post and a good example of why I joined this group.