Emory:

Bonanza is quite right. To be fair, I've seen George Caswell do the same thing many times. Champlin backs everything they sell, even the used stuff. I've known both guys a long time and would rather deal with them than anyone else in the business.

I'm very sorry to hear of your trevails. I wonder if it is possible that the chambers are oversized because they have been honed to remove pits or perhaps gas cutting due to case splits? In the early days, the Eley Bros. Cordite stuff was terrible about this and quite a few doubles suffered this damage. I'm not second guessing J. J., he is damned good, I'm just wondering aloud.

Please don't think that I'm kicking you when you're down, but I sure wish you had gotten J. J. involved on the front end. He can't do you near as much good after the fact. Buying a used double rifle, even if it is your first double, doesn't have to be risky. Even among experienced double rifle shooters, very few are competent to do this on their own hook. A double rifle is like no other type and, when you're buying your first one, you can't possibly fully appreciate what you're getting into. That's why you stick to established methodology. The first step is finding a gun that you think you might like. The second step is having it sent to a fully qualified gunmaker (notice I didn't say gunSMITH) like J. J. for the comprehensive (disassembly and shooting) evaluation that you should make your purchase agreement, in writing, contingent upon. Of course, you've got to get this done within the agreed return period, so you can't dally, and the usual three days doesn't cut it. Insist on at least five days in the written agreement and try to get more. If the seller balks at these terms, or at reducing them to writing, run.

Best of luck with this. I hope you get it resolved.
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