San El Salmo ser.no. 11,000 +, What should I know about this rifle for I am wanting to chop the barrel and add a barrel weight\ shroud ?
I presume you mean San Anselmo; Beeman's first location. If so, SN 11XXX is the highest SN I've run across with with that address; SN 12728 has the San Rafael address. If it's in really nice shape, I think I'd pick a different gun to modify. Or perhaps find a spare barrel to mess with.
Chop a Diana 34 instead.
For the life of me, even after all these years and countless threads about doing it, having done it, I cannot figure out what purpose there is to chopping down the barrel of a spring piston airgun. Oh well.
Also, remember on the 124 rifle, the choke is at the very end of the barrel, so just about any "chopping" will remove the factory choke. I agree with finding another rifle to modify.
It's not like it's rare. They're all over the place. And the barrel is way too long. You'll pick up a little velocity. Will it shoot as well without the choke if it has one? Find out. If it needs choke after testing have it done.
The biggest concern with this whole idea, is whether whoever does the lopping off can also do a real, square, and concentric crown job. If not, don't bother with it.
Myself, I always add a choke back in if I shorten a barrel. I have found they almost always shoot better with at least a small amount of choke.
Personally I don't care for, or get the hype over the 124. So hack it up if it's what you want. But I'd at least make sure that you or whoever has the capability to do it right, or don't do it at all.
Back in its day it was the hottest break barrel on the market. Then Diana made the 45 to compete with it. After that the Joules race was on and not long after we were all shooting at one Vern. (Always about the journey, not so much the destination)
ARH was doing some very custom work on them along with a well written catalogue and some other guy plagiarized it.
I bought mine as a fixer upper and it turned out very well. All I had to do is replace the seals and refinish the stock. Reused the aftermarket spring. It also came with a Hakko scope. Shoots very nice. Beautiful gun now
. Easy to cock. Trigger is pretty darn good after adjustment it. It was way out. I don't see how the previous owner even shot it. The barrel is waaaaay too loooong. I would consider lopping it if I could restore the choke myself.
Really nice rifle and scope for what I invested. I have over a dozen HW to compare it too. I'll just say it's worth having.
